SC seeks response from Google on sharing sexually offensive videos

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from Internet majors like Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Facebook on a plea seeking curbs on sharing sexually offensive videos on social networking sites and steps to check cybercrimes. A bench of justices M B Lokur and U U Lalit issued notice to these companies and sought their reply on the plea by January 9.

The court, however, expressed its reservation over making public the names of sexual offenders after the registration of the case, saying it would tarnish the image of the person. Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the Centre, submitted that a debate was on if the names of such offenders should be disclosed.

The bench also directed that if the state police find nothing against a person after probing a sexual offence case, then CBI will not interrogate that person with regard to the cybercrime aspect related to the offence.

The court was hearing a letter sent to then Chief Justice of India H L Dattu by Hyderabad-based NGO Prajwala along with two rape videos in a pen drive. It had taken suo motu cognizance of the letter on the posting of these videos on WhatsApp and had asked CBI to launch a probe forthwith to nab the culprits.