Case filed against Twitter, WhatsApp, Tiktok over anti-national messages

Petitioner submitted details of some WhatsApp group messages, TikTok videos and Twitter postings along with the mobile numbers used to circulate the objectionable content in many languages including English, Urdu, Arabic, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

The Cybercrime police in Hyderabad registered criminal cases against social media giants Twitter, WhatsApp and TikTok for hosting posts and videos affecting the national integrity and communal harmony.

A case has been registered against social media giants WhatsApp, Twitter and TikTok for allowing hosting of anti-India messages and videos on their platforms(REUTERS Photo/Representative)

The cases were registered against the management of the online firms under various sections of Indian Penal Code, apart from Information Technology Act 2000.

“Notices would be served on the managements of these social media platforms in a couple of days,” an official of the Cybercrime wing of Hyderabad Central Crime Station said.

The FIR dated February 18 was registered following a direction from the 14th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Nampally criminal courts complex, which acted on a petition filed by a Hyderabad-based journalist-turned-social activist, Silveri Srisailam.

Srisailam’s petition alleges some anti-national elements were making use of TikTok and WhatsApp to spread anti-India campaign among the people.

“Some vested interests from Pakistan are posting messages and videos against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and in turn, they are being made viral in India,” he alleged.

In support of his charges, Srisailam submitted details of some WhatsApp group messages, TikTok videos and Twitter postings along with the mobile numbers used to circulate the objectionable content in many languages including English, Urdu, Arabic, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.

He identified six common mobile numbers acting as group administrators for several groups spreading hate messages.

“The messages uploaded on the social media by the accused are invariably false containing defamatory and insinuatory allegations against the nation, religion and political leaders, besides literature to promote disaffection towards the government and create communal disturbances,” the petitioner said.