Madras High Court Moves to Regulate YouTube

The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Centre and Tamil Nadu government regarding a petition to regulate YouTube, aiming to align it with Indian laws and social norms. The petitioner argues that unregulated media trials on YouTube influence judicial proceedings and harm innocent people through abusive comments.

The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the Centre and Tamil Nadu government in response to a petition seeking regulation of YouTube to comply with Indian laws and social norms. The division bench, which includes Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice P B Balaji, has scheduled a further hearing in four weeks.

The petition, filed by advocate V Parthiban, argues that unregulated media trials on YouTube can compromise judicial investigations and decisions. According to the petitioner, YouTube often evades legal scrutiny and responsibility for content posted on its platform, even though it benefits from such content.

Parthiban also contends that the platform allows for abusive comments and trolling, which unjustly impacts innocent individuals. He asserts that it is essential to regulate and restrict YouTube to ensure it conforms to national laws, proposing the creation of a mechanism to control content at its inception.