Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi, February 1
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked global search engines Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and social media platforms Facebook and Whatsapp to stop rape videos from being uploaded.
A Bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur asked the companies to use “firewalls” such as the one China used to keep such content off the Internet.
“If China can evolve such a technology why can’t you?” the Bench asked, after the companies said they would remove such content within 48 to 72 hours of receiving complaints about them.
The companies also argued against an “auto-block” mechanism — a suggestion made by the NGO — would affect materials for used for research.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh told the court that the central government had earmarked Rs 195.83 crore for a ‘Cyber Crime Prevention Against Women and Children’ to deal with crimes against women and children.
In February 2015, the court took suo motu cognisance of a letter sent by Prajwala, an NGO, highlighting instances of videos of gang rape being uploaded on Yahoo and Whatsapp messenger services. The NGO also sent two videos of gang rape.
