Delhi HC orders YouTube channels to immediately remove content spreading fake news about Aaradhya Bachchan's health
New Delhi, April 20: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed various entities operating channels on YouTube to immediately remove/take down all the video/images/identical content spreading fake news about the health of Aaradhya Bachchan.
The Court of Justice C Harishankar also observed that every child is entitled to be treated with honour and respect, be it a child of a celebrity or of the common person. Circulation of misleading information about a child especially as regards physical and mental health is completely intolerable in law.
The Delhi High Court noted that plaintiff Aaradhya Bachchan is the daughter of Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwary Bachchan and granddaughter of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.
After going through the detailed submissions, Justice C Harishankar issued summons to Google LLC and several entities operating channels on YouTube. The Bench while issuing interim directions said, Google LLC was duty-bound in law to ensure strict compliance with the entire statutory regime relating to intermediaries with which it was governed.
The Bench also directed to Centre through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) to ensure disabling of access to content uploaded by defendants naming Bollywood Time, Bollywood Chingari, Bolly Station HD, Bollywood Station, Bollywood Shine, Bolly Pakora, Bolly Samosa, Bolly ocean and Hollywood Stars as well as to any other similar videos or clips containing similar content on the plaintiff bringing it to their notice.
The court further added that if the plaintiff (Abhishek Bachchan) brings to Google's notice any other video uploaded on the YouTube platform dealing with the physical health of Aaradhya, it will immediately proceed to take down the said URL.
While passing directions on interim application by the plaintiffs (Abhishek Bachchan and Aaradhya Bachchan), the court says prima facie, the case is in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants, justifying the grant of ad interim relief.
Appearing for Bachchan's, Dayan Krishnan submitted that the reputation of a public person has become child's play in the age of social media.
- ANI
