Meta and Google argue no duty to pre-screen user content
Meta and Google have informed the Delhi High Court that they cannot proactively identify and remove unauthorised recordings of court proceedings from their platforms. The tech giants argued they have neither the legal obligation nor the technical ability to screen such content before it is uploaded by users.
The responses were submitted to the Delhi High Court on Tuesday in connection with a plea against Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and other political leaders. The plea alleged that the leaders unlawfully recorded and circulated videos of court proceedings that took place on April 13, when Kejriwal sought the recusal of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma from the CBI’s Delhi liquor policy case.
Petitioner alleges violation of court rules
The petitioner contended that the circulation of these recordings violated established court rules and demanded their removal from social media platforms. The plea specifically sought directions to Meta and Google to take down the offending content.
In their submissions, Meta stated that intermediaries are under no legal obligation to proactively monitor user-generated content, including unauthorised recordings of court hearings. Google adopted a similar stance, asserting that it is impossible to monitor every video uploaded to its platform YouTube.
Google describes itself as a 'mere intermediary'
Google further argued that it neither owns nor controls the content uploaded by users and cannot determine whether a video is unlawful unless it is notified. The company described itself as a 'mere intermediary' and said that any responsibility lies with the uploader of the content, not the platform.
The court is expected to hear the matter further, as the debate continues over the liability of social media platforms for user-uploaded content that may violate court orders or legal provisions.
