Supreme Court Considers Guidelines on Social Media Speech Regulation

The Supreme Court is contemplating guidelines to regulate offensive social media posts while emphasizing the importance of freedom of speech. A case involving Wazahat Khan, who faced multiple FIRs for objectionable content, is central to the discussion. The court seeks a balance between self-regulation and state intervention.

The Supreme Court deliberated on Monday the necessity for citizens to understand the value of free speech and the need for self-regulation, as it considered guidelines to handle offensive social media content. Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan led the discussion, arising from a plea by Wazahat Khan who faces FIRs for objectionable posts about a Hindu deity.

Khan, who received interim protection from arrest, had previously filed a complaint against social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli for communal remarks. His counsel argued the fundamental right to free speech comes with reasonable restrictions, emphasizing the importance of curbing divisive online tendencies.

The Court stressed the importance of maintaining fraternity and avoided proposing censorship while extending Khan's protection. With multiple FIRs lodged across various states, Khan's counsel argued that recent actions are retaliatory and based on dated tweets, all of which Khan has since removed and apologized for.

(With inputs from agencies.)