Supreme Court Says One Has To Be Careful On Social Media

The Supreme Court has said social media users should be careful about its impact and reach.

The Apex Court made the observation as it dismissed a petition filed by actor and former Tamil Nadu MLA SV Shekher who is facing cases for sharing a Facebook post in 2018 allegedly containing derogatory remarks against women journalists, PTI reported.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and PK Mishra was hearing a plea filed by 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, it said.

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

The lawyer argued that 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, it said.

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

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

In its order, the high court had noted 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, it mentioned.

It had noted that an FIR was registered in the matter and other private complaints were also filed against him in various parts of Tamil Nadu, it said.

Before the high court, Shekher's counsel had argued that he was not aware of the contents of the message that was sent to him and had merely forwarded the same from his Facebook account, it added.