The Supreme Court of India has directed famous social media influencers, including Samay Raina, to publicly apologize for content that mocked people with disabilities. This decision comes amid increasing attention on online hate speech and the responsibility of digital content creators.
Supreme Court issue apology orders to comedians, include Samay Raina
Along with Raina, the other influencers mentioned in the case are Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjit Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar. According to media reports, the bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, stressed that freedom of speech does not cover content that belittles or insults marginalised communities.
“There are people who seek the fundamental right of free speech. If there is such freedom, then we will limit any speech that demeans another community,” the court said.
The case brought by the CURE SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) Foundation of India, which provided video evidence showing the influencers making offensive jokes about individuals affected by SMA and other disabilities. The foundation claimed that this content amounts to hate speech and violates the constitutional rights of people with disabilities under Articles 14 and 21. It also argued that it spreads harmful stereotypes and encourages insensitivity in society.
Legal action against Samay Raina for offensive Mockery comments
In addition to apologies, the Supreme Court has instructed the government to create guidelines for social media platforms. These guidelines help regulate content that offends or mocks disabled individuals, women, children, and old age. This action seen as a step toward establishing digital accountability and preventing creators from using their platforms to spread harmful content disguised as entertainment.
This is not the first time where Samay Raina has come under legal scrutiny for inappropriate comments. Previously, he and fellow influencer Ranveer Allahbadia were summoned over controversial remarks made on the comedy show “India’s Got Latent.”
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