New Delhi, 13 May (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has directed Google and Apple to take stringent action against apps on their Play Store and App Store that promote pornography and prostitution, the court said. A bench led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay observed that they cannot allow an entire generation to be ruined.

The court has asked Google, Apple and the central government to file an action-taken report detailing steps to prevent the availability of apps that encourage pornography and prostitution. The bench emphasised that Google and Apple must block such apps at the time of upload to their platforms.

Citing the IT Rules, 2021, the court noted that intermediaries have not only a primary role in responding to complaints but must also act in accordance with the law at the point of upload. It directed intermediaries like Google and Apple to examine complaints under the IT Rules and to immediately prevent the publication of offending apps.

The petition was filed by Rubika Thapa, who alleged that numerous apps available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store facilitate the dissemination of pornographic content and encourage immoral trafficking, prostitution, weapons smuggling and organised crime. During hearings, counsel for the petitioner, Tanmay Mehta, argued that these apps generate millions of dollars by enabling criminal activity.

Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the central government, expressed agreement with the petitioner’s concerns and assured the court that the government would take firm measures against such apps.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar