'Social media regulation must': Karnataka High Court rejects X Corp's plea challenging Centre's blocking orders

In March this year, X Corp, owned by Elon Musk, had approached the Karnataka High Court, challenging the Indian government's use of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and the Sahyog Portal.

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed the plea by X Corp seeking a direction that section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act does not authorise the government to issue information blocking orders. 

In his judgement, Justice M Nagaprasanna said, “The content on social media needs to be regulated and its regulation is a must, more so in cases of offences against women in particular failing which right to dignity as ordained in the constitution gets railroaded.”

On October 31, 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had directed all central ministries, all State governments, states' deputy generals of police, and local police officers that they are authorised to issue information blocking orders under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act. 

In its petition, X Corp has prayed for a direction that section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act does not authorise the government to issue information blocking orders in circumvention of section 69A, the Blocking Rules, and the Apex Court decision in Shreya Singhal case.

The petitioner had stated that the union government attempted to circumvent the protections that exist under the IT Act, the Blocking Rules which have been upheld by the Apex Court in Shreya Singhal case in 2015.