The Supreme Court fined Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Microsoft and WhatsApp Rs 1 lakh each last week for failing to file their replies on the steps they have taken to block videos depicting sexual offences against children, PTI reported on Monday. The court has asked them to file affidavits detailing the steps they have taken by June 15.
On May 18, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and UU Lalit said none of the internet giants – Yahoo, Facebook Ireland, Facebook India, Google India, Google Inc, Microsoft and WhatsApp – had responded to its April 16 order to submit progress reports.
Meanwhile, the Centre told the court that it would take about two months to launch the final version of an online platform for the reporting of cyber crime. The court, however, said the Ministry of Home Affairs had taken “more than sufficient time” already and should complete the task by June 30.
The Centre had earlier told the court that it had identified search keywords for child pornography, rape and gangrape.
The court was hearing the matter related to a letter sent in 2015 to the then Chief Justice of India HL Dattu by Hyderabad-based nonprofit Prajwala, along with two rape videos in a pen-drive. The court had taken cognisance of the letter and asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to look into the case.
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