In a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court, a demand has been made to direct the creation of a system for all types of digital content. It calls for creating a comprehensive regulatory system for all user-generated digital content, including stand-up comedy, podcasts and live-streaming platforms.
Referring to the controversy surrounding the “₹370 biryani” incident, the petition said that this incident highlights the critical need for constitutional safeguards in the digital age. The petition, filed by lawyer Vishal Tiwari under Article 32 of the Constitution, said that even though no legal action should be taken against the comedian or content creator involved in the “₹370 biryani” incident,
But this incident shows how algorithm-based social media platforms can deliver controversial statements to millions of users, which can affect people’s thinking about women, consent and respect.
Accountability system is also necessary
According to the petition, this controversy started from a stand-up comedy show of Pranit More. During the show, a man in the audience recounted a date in which he claimed that feeding a woman a biryani worth ₹370 meant she got the right to have sex. This incident shows that in the digital world, along with methods for spreading content on a large scale, a system of accountability is also necessary.
Preventing objectionable content from going viral
The petitioner says that the constitutional issue is not about banning humor, satire or artistic freedom, but whether when such content goes viral, whether institutional safeguards are needed in accordance with Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
What is in the petition?
In this petition, a demand has been made to form an expert committee to investigate the misleading, derogatory and defamatory content spread on different social media platforms and digital publications.
What is the ‘₹370 biryani’ controversy?
The ‘₹370 biryani’ controversy started with a statement by Gurugram’s Himanshu Jangra, which he gave during the live show of stand-up comedian Praneet More. Himanshu said that after spending ₹370 on biryani for a girl, he wanted to “recoup” his money instead of dropping her home. A video of this objectionable thinking and conversation went viral on social media, sparking debate across the country.
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