Today, 30th April, The Delhi High Court criticized Meta, warning that the situation is more severe than that of a government department and urging caution. This critique highlights increased scrutiny and concerns regarding Meta’s operations or policies in India. The court’s comments emphasize the escalating legal and regulatory hurdles encountered by major tech companies like Meta in the nation.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court recently criticized Meta for its inadequate response to a lawsuit filed by TV Today regarding the blocking of the Harper’s Bazaar India Instagram account. During the proceedings, the Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora expressed severe dissatisfaction with Meta’s operational efficiency, likening it to being even less efficient than a typical government department.
The judges admonished,
“Your situation is worse than the government department. Please be careful. You have to be alive to the situation. Your system is not working. Your system does not work. It has to work,”
The court also hinted at the possibility of issuing a stern order against Meta if improvements are not made. The case arose after the Instagram page for Harper’s Bazaar India blocked following a third-party copyright complaint, leading TV Today to challenge both the specific blocking and the broader legal framework under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
TV Today contends that these rules allow for the blocking of accounts without a fair chance for the account holders to dispute such actions, exploiting certain vagueness in the regulations.
Representing TV Today, Advocate Hrishikesh Baruah highlighted the company’s repeated, yet unsuccessful attempts to address the issue through proper channels within Meta.
On the other hand, Advocate Tejas Karia, representing Meta, stated that,
“The blocking was due to copyright strikes and requested additional time to provide a more comprehensive response”.
These include Meta’s assertions that Indian IT rules do not compel them to notify users before taking action against accounts, reflecting a broader conflict over user rights and privacy . Additionally, there have been disputes involving Meta’s handling of user data and privacy, especially concerning WhatsApp’s encryption and the potential implications for user privacy if forced to comply with certain government demands . This legal tussle reflects ongoing concerns over privacy, free speech, and the regulatory landscape affecting social media platforms in India.
The court granted this request and adjourned the hearing to the following day.
The Delhi High Court sharply criticized Meta for its inefficiencies, comparing its operational shortcomings to those typically associated with bureaucratic government departments.