Overview

• Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi instructed five named influencers to display unconditional apologies on their programmes and social media for mocking persons with disabilities.
• The court required affidavits detailing how the creators will use their platforms to raise awareness about disability rights.
• Financial penalties were flagged as likely, with the amount and mechanism to be decided in later proceedings.
• The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting was told to prepare broad, enforceable language and enforcement guidelines after consulting the NBDSA and other stakeholders.
• The bench signalled that hosting platforms, including YouTube, could face accountability for carrying content that violates the dignity of persons with disabilities.