SC warns social media users to be more careful of its impact and reach

The Supreme Court has said social media users must be careful of its impact/reach; dismissed plea of actor/former TN MLA S. Ve Shekher facing cases for 2018 FB post. HC noted message was "despicable" and "highly derogatory" and that users must be responsible when sending/forwarding messages.

The Supreme Court has said social media users should be careful about its impact and reach as it dismissed a petition filed by actor and former Tamil Nadu MLA S. Ve Shekher, who is facing cases for sharing a Facebook post in 2018 allegedly containing derogatory remarks against women journalists.

A bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and P.K. Mishra was hearing a plea filed by Mr. Shekher against the July 14 order of the Madras High Court which had dismissed his petition seeking quashing of criminal proceedings relating to the post shared by him.

"If one uses social media, then he should be more careful about its impact and reach," the bench told the advocate representing the petitioner.

The lawyer argued that Mr. Shekher had put some medicine in his eyes on the date of the incident due to which he could not read the contents of the post which he shared.

The bench observed that one has to be careful while using social media.

It said if someone find it is essential to use social media, then he should be ready to face the consequences also.

In its order, the HC had noted Mr. Shekher is said to have "published/circulated an abusive, derogatory and vulgar comment in his Facebook account" on April 19, 2018 after which a complaint filed before the Chennai Commissioner of Police.