Response sought on plea against groups

nNEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Tuesday sought the Centre’s response over a plea seeking directions to it to ensure social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram remove illegal groups such as Bois Locker Room for the safety and security of children.

Bois Locker Room, an online chat group that made light of gang-rape and trivialised sexual assault, came to light this month and triggered outrage.

A bench of Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notices to the Union home, information technology and finance ministries while also seeking to know the stand of Facebook, Google and Twitter by the next date of hearing on July 14.

The court was hearing a plea moved by former Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue K N Govindacharya “highlighting the unlawful nature of illegal groups” like Bois Locker Room. “Due to the negativity, fake news and illegal content many young lives are destroyed. Such groups are criminal in nature and do not deserve any protection of free or creative speech,” Govindacharya’s lawyer Gaurav Pathak said. He added Bois Locker Room on Instagram shows “one of the vilest forms of social media”.

The Centre’s standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia accepted the notice on behalf of the ministries.

“We have zero tolerance for any behaviour or material that exploits young people online and action content violating our community guidelines and policies. We will not be able to comment further, as the matter is sub judice,” a Facebook spokesperson said.