Delhi HC Seeks Response From Social Media Giants Over Allegations of Revealing Identity of Rape Victims

Delhi High Court’s Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Jyoti Singh passed a notice in a PIL seeking action against social media platforms, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter so that they take down content revealing the identity of victims aggrieved in sexual offences. The petitioner also seeks action against media portals and publication houses.

The Citizen, BuzzFeed, iDiva, Janbharat Times, The Telegraph, Dainik Jagran, News 18, Wikifeed, United News of India, The Millennium Post, Bansal Times and Dalit Camera have been named in the petition in this regard.

There has been a gross violation of Section 228A IPC by these organisations and platform says the petitioner. Further the petitioner said that hashtags with the name of the Hathras Rape and murder victim were used on Twitter by a large number of people including celebrities. The bench has fixed the next hearing in the matter on February 5, 2020.