Uttarakhand High Court Demands Urgent Social Media Action to Protect Women's Dignity
Court orders platforms like Twitter/X, WhatsApp, and Meta to remove objectionable content threatening women's dignity
In a landmark judgment, the Uttarakhand High Court has emphatically asserted the non-negotiable nature of women's dignity, compelling immediate action from major social media platforms. The case, Suo Motu Pil In Re Protecting Dignity of Women vs. State of Uttarakhand, underscores the urgency of preserving women's dignity in the face of objectionable online content.
The court, comprising Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Subhash Upadhyay, highlighted the essentiality of upholding women's dignity within societal and legal frameworks. It expressed grave concerns over objectionable posts on platforms like Twitter/X, WhatsApp, Meta, and Facebook, which threaten this dignity.
In response to an earlier order dated September 23, 2025, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nainital and the Inspector General (IG) of Cyber Crimes were present to submit the Action Taken Report. The court was informed by the Deputy Advocate General that two Personal Security Officers have been designated for the protection of the victim involved in the case.
The IG Cyber Crimes presented a compliance report identifying three primary posts and multiple objectionable comments shared widely on social media. These were registered under Ticket Nos. LD-17194, LD-17197, and LD-17198. Immediate instructions for the removal of these posts have been communicated to the relevant social media platforms, with contact established with designated representatives from Twitter/X. Although the representatives acknowledged the notices and escalated the matter to their parent company in the USA, compliance remains pending.
The court expressed its expectation that social media platforms would act with the urgency the situation demands. It emphasized that women's dignity is non-negotiable, urging platforms to act in accordance with legal and cultural imperatives.
A copy of the order has been forwarded to the IG, Cyber Crimes, and the court has scheduled the next hearing for October 17, 2025, to review compliance and further actions.
Bottom Line:
Protection of dignity of women - The dignity of women is non-negotiable and must be upheld in the context of societal culture and legal obligations. Social media platforms are directed to comply urgently with orders concerning objectionable posts affecting women's dignity.
Statutory provision(s): The judgment underscores the protection of women's dignity, societal culture, and legal obligations, though specific statutory provisions were not cited in the provided excerpt.
