Hopeful of legislation which brings some control on what internet can show, says Former CJI Chandrachud
New Delhi, April 25
Former Chief Justice of India, Justice DY Chandrachud, on Saturday, said he was hopeful that there would be some kind of regulation that would bring some content to the online content in the country.
Responding to a question about a report that mentioned 62 million men have almost visited "online rape academy', the CJI said the country must safeguard children and the younger generation from harmful online material.
"It's very crucial that if we have to protect our young and if we have to protect women against the kind of gender violence that we see in society, if we have to protect the future of the nation, which the young generation is, there has to be legislation which brings some control on what the internet can show," he said.
He highlighted concerns over the easy availability of online data and the exposure of minors to harmful content.
"Data is so easily available, it is available virtually free, and the young are exposed to sexual violence, to pornography," he said.
The Chief Justice said it is time for intervention at the policy level to address the issue.
"It's time that we intervened as a nation. I am sure that legislators would think of it very seriously and do that for saving the future of our younger generation," he emphasised.
He attended the 32nd Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Lecture.
Former CJI Chandrachud also shared an insightful address on the rapid spread of digital content and its social consequences, particularly its impact on young minds and societal morality. He underscored the urgency of a robust legal framework to regulate emerging harms in the digital space.
— ANI
Reader Comments
👏 So needed! As a teacher, I see first-hand how easily kids access damaging content today. The digital divide already harms our youth's mental health. But government control shouldn't become censorship. Need a balanced law that protects children without silencing dissent.
Interesting perspective from a former CJI. While I understand the concern about protection from harmful content, regulation can be a slippery slope. India's internet freedom is already at risk. Let's focus on digital literacy and parental controls instead of blanket legislation.
Seriously? First they throttle internet for "national security", now they want to control content? 🙄 Our politicians will misuse this to suppress criticism. But yes, child safety online is critical. Let's implement age verification and content filtering, not blanket censorship.
As someone who works in tech, I see the challenges. But regulation must be smart. India should learn from Germany's NetzDG or UK's Online Safety Bill. Just banning things won't work. We need better enforcement and cooperation from platforms. More importantly, teach kids critical thinking!
Baap re, 62 million?! 😱 That's insane! But I'm skeptical about government control. Remember Section 66A? They'll ban normal content citing "harmful material". Let's first enforce existing laws against child pornography and violent content. Education is the real solution, not another draconian law.
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