HC warns Facebook, Google

Refusing to stay criminal proceedings against internet majors Google and Facebook, the Delhi High Court on Thursday warned they might be “blocked” if they fail to devise a mechanism to check and remove objectionable contents from the web pages. “Like China, we can block all such websites,” Justice Suresh Kait remarked at the fag end of the hearing. The counsel for both Google and Facebook harped on their global policy of non-interference even if contents posted on their web pages are found to be obscene or objectionable. The HC emphasized that the internet companies, while doing business in India, must develop a mechanism to keep a check and remove “offensive and objectionable” material from their web pages. Though the HC didn’t stay proceedings against the two companies before a magistrate’s court, it agreed with the lawyers’ plea that they would not press for an effective hearing in the trial court slated for Friday.