ISLAMABAD, April 21 (Online):On Thursday, the Delhi High Court restrained several YouTube channels from disseminating or further sharing videos with false claims about Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan\u2019s 11-year-old daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan.<\/p>\n
The court observed that though it\u2019s not the first time such misleading information has been circulated for celebrities, the videos of the child reflects a morbid perversity on the part of those who are circulating them, with complete apathy to the interests of the child in question. The court said, \u201cEvery child is entitled to be treated with honour and respect whether he\/she is the child of a celebrity or a commoner. Circulating information with respect to mental and physical health of a child is completely impermissible in law. \u201d<\/p>\n
AN EXTRACT FROM AARADHYA\u2019S PLEA<\/p>\n
\u201cAround the second week of April 2023, Abhishek Bachchan and other members of his family learned about videos circulating online containing false information about Aaradhya Bachchan\u2019s health, and the consequent (albeit false) distraught mental state of the family.<\/p>\n
While some videos showcased Aaradhya being in poor health, some reported her on the deathbed and others claimed she was no more. The images used in the videos have been taken unlawfully and without any authorization from the plaintiffs, either from events and public appearances made by them or have been extracted from films and other works.\u201d<\/p>\n
How can misleading information be tolerated?: Delhi HC to YouTube<\/p>\n
The court also directed Google to reveal the identity of the defendants to the Bachchans and immediately take steps to deactivate the URLs. YouTube\u2019s counsel Mamta Rani told HC, \u201cWe will provide the information of the actual uploaders. They (Bachchans) have provided URLs that will be delisted.\u201d Aaradhya Bachchan\u2019s plea in the Delhi High Court stated that these fake videos with Bachchan family images claimed Aaradhya\u2019s critical illness.<\/p>\n
Ameet Naik, who represented Aaradhya Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, says, \u201cWe were compelled to file this suit because last week my client came across these defamatory videos. We got to knowabout these videos on April 14 and notices were sent to take down these videos (to the grievance cell of Google). There were a total 24 videos and over six are still there, and hence we sought an injunction to remove those videos. This case is important on three grounds \u2013 breach of privacy, defamation and infringement of personality rights. The court\u2019s order restores the faith in privacy and that you cannot publicise defamatory materials and profit from them and that children must be treated with dignity and respect. The court also said that the private life of any celebrity is as sacred as any other person\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
Justice C Hari Shankar asked YouTube counsel why they don\u2019t have a policy in place for such matters, and noted, \u201cWhen you\u2019re told these types of YouTube videos are circulating, should there not be some way of handling thesethings? You\u2019re an online platform. Don\u2019t you have some responsibility in such kind of things? You mean to say you\u2019re only providing a facility for people to misinform the public. You are providing a platform on which misleading information is circulating to the public. How can such a thing be tolerated? Ifyou are making money out of what you are doing, you have a social responsibility. You can\u2019t allow such things to be posted on your platform. You acknowledge that there are certain things for which you have zero tolerance. Why should this not fall in that category? That means your policy is faulty.\u201d<\/p>\n
The court also directed Google to spell out in detail its policy showing compliance with Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules. The matter will be heard on July 13.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD, April 21 (Online):On Thursday, the Delhi High Court restrained several YouTube channels from disseminating or further sharing videos with false claims about Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan\u2019s 11-year-old daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan. The court observed that though it\u2019s not the first time such misleading information […]<\/p>\n
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