It would be "Better for the Nation"...
BENGALURU: On Tuesday the Karnataka high court said it would be "better for the nation" if access to social media is restricted for youngsters, especially schoolchildren, and suggested that the threshold age for access should be 21 or 18 years when they get the right to vote.
A high court division bench comprising Justices G Narendar and Vijayakumar A Patil said that of late, school-going children are so addicted to social media that it would be "better for the nation" if the same is restricted for them.
The bench indicated that it would pass orders on Wednesday, on two interlocutory appeals (IAs) filed by the appellant, including the one seeking for adding grounds in the case. The bench further added that the only aspect to be examined is to whether the content in question violates Section 69A (1) and (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Earlier, the US-based multi-blogging platform's counsel informed the court that the challenge in the appeal is confined to the single-judge's observations vis-a-vis the interpretation of the law on blocking posts and accounts.
"The impugned order erroneously held that, although appellant has locus standard to bring a petition under Article 226, the appellant cannot claim protection of Article 21 of the Constitution 'because it is not a natural person'.
It should be set aside as it failed to follow the plain language of Section 69(1) of IT Act that reasons must be recorded in writing in a blocking order, and is contrary to the judgment of the Supreme Court in (the) Shreya Singhal case,"
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