Stop pornography in social media: HC

The High Court today directed the government to stop uploading and sending pornography, vulgar picture and video by service providers through mobile phones and social media including Facebook and Tweeter in seven days.

In response to a writ petition, the court also issued a rule upon the government to explain in four weeks as to why its inaction to stop such activities in the social media should not be declared illegal.

Chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission and secretary to the Ministry of Information have to take steps to comply with the HC directive, petitioner’s counsel Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Md Ashraful Kamal came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The organisation submitted the petition recently seeking necessary orders from the HC on the authorities concerned to stop uploading and sending pornography, video, vulgar picture or video by service providers through social media.

Citing from the petition, Manzill told The Daily Star that moral degradation of the people, particularly the young generation and children, is taking place due to such social media programmes which are punitive offences under the Pornography Act, 2012 and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act of 2006.

The authorities have not taken any effective steps to stop such illegal activities, he added.

Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Saju represented the government.