Overview

• The Centre highlighted a 401 percent spike in cybercrime complaints between 2019 and 2024 as evidence of urgent digital threats.
• The government told the court that Rule 3(1)(d) applies not only to social media platforms but also to UPI apps, VPNs and other online intermediaries.
• During submissions, Mehta argued that X Corp functions as a ‘notice board’ and therefore lacks Article 19 free-speech protections.
• Written submissions described algorithmic curation as fundamentally different from traditional editorial judgment and called for tighter oversight.
• The Karnataka High Court will resume hearings on July 18 to decide whether intermediaries must comply with content-removal notices to retain safe-harbour immunity.