Today(28th March), the Andhra Pradesh High Court issued notices to Google LLC and the Indian government, addressing the digital rights debate. This follows a petition by a YouTube journalist contesting account suspension. Additionally, a channel seeking Rs. 2 crore in damages highlights concerns over arbitrary suspensions.
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Amaravati: Today(28th March),The Andhra Pradesh High Court has issued formal notices to both Google LLC and the Indian government, bringing attention to the persisting discourse surrounding digital rights and the autonomy of content creators. This development transpired following a legal petition filed by the YouTube journalist, identified as String, contesting the suspension of their accounts by Google, the parent company of YouTube.
A channel generating monthly revenue of Rs. 4-5 lakhs from its suspended channels has taken a bold step by seeking Rs. 2 crore in damages for what it considers an arbitrary suspension.
Represented by Advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, this case highlights issue concerning digital content creators today: the delicate balance between platform governance and individual rights.
Advocate Jha, in his plea to the court, emphasized the situation, stating-
“This is a matter of a fundamental right violation. I am a YouTube journalist, my accounts have been suspended by Google arbitrarily.”
The bench, led by Justice B Krishna Mohan, after reviewing the plea, decided to move forward by issuing a notice, thereby requiring Google and the Centre, through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to file their responses within a four-week timeframe.
The court’s response-
“We can issue notice, let them file a response,”
Sets the stage for a legal examination of the policies and practices governing content and account management on platforms like YouTube.
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