The Supreme Court of India has severely condemned YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia saying that humour is not “free for all”. The top court questioned the utilisation of gutter language in the guise of humour and underlined the necessity for regulatory steps without violating the absolute right to freedom of speech and expression but protecting social norms.
Supreme Court’s Stand on the Issue
The court was considering Ranveer Allahbadia’s plea in the India’s Got Latent controversy, in which he had made offending comments. The judges said that humour must be something that a family can share and not something that brings embarrassment or discomfort. The court clarified that though free speech is a fundamental right, it must be exercised responsibly.
Need for Regulatory Measures
The Supreme Court said that the government must develop regulatory standards that do not have objectionable content while assuring free speech. The court added:
✔ Any new regulatory provision draft has to be put to public discussion.
✔ It is not censorship but ethical content production.
✔ Content creators must make sure that they do not violate social norms for the sake of entertainment.
Justice Surya Kant noted that there must be minimal but efficient measures to ensure content quality. He also said, “See the quality of humour he has… Humour is something the entire family can enjoy. Using filthy language is not talent.”
Relief for Ranveer Allahbadia
While the court has been criticized, the court allowed Ranveer Allahbadia to resume to post his podcast, which was lifting the earlier ban. However, the ruling era created a controversial debate on the balance between creative freedom and moral responsibility in material construction in the Internet era.
Conclusion
The Ranveer Allahbadia scandal has once again fueled debates around free speech and content creation responsibly. The remarks of the Supreme Court are a good reminder that freedom of expression from online sources comes with a cost to it.
