The Bombay High Court has ordered the removal of fake and abusive social media posts targeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in connection with E20 fuel. The court described the posts as 'vile' and 'obscene' and directed platforms to take them down.
During the hearing, the court questioned major internet companies – Meta, X Corp and Google LLC – over the lack of a mechanism to remove abusive content without forcing an individual to approach the courts. The judges expressed concern that such material could remain online unless the affected person filed a legal case.
The posts in question related to E20, a blend of ethanol and petrol, and were aimed at Gadkari, who holds the road transport and highways portfolio. The court's order directs the removal of the offending content, though the specific platforms or number of posts were not disclosed in the reports.
The high court's remarks and directive come amid growing scrutiny of how tech companies handle harmful content on their platforms. The judges appeared to question why companies could not proactively address abusive posts rather than waiting for court intervention. The matter is part of an ongoing legal proceeding, and further details of the case were not immediately available.