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Gone are the days when YouTubers could openly post sleazy and demeaning thumbnails without consequences.
The Tamil Nadu High Court recently ruled on a case filed by Sevabharathi Trust against a YouTuber named Surender for defaming their trust in relation to an alleged murder case.
The verdict clarified that no YouTuber has an unrestricted right to freedom of speech.
Furthermore, the court ordered the convict to pay Rs 50 lakh in damages for the defamation suit.
The judgment emphasized the need to curb defamatory YouTube channels in their early stages to prevent the spread of false news and potential involvement in blackmail and extortion.
This case was brought by Rabu Manohar of Sevabharati Trust in Chennai, an organization known for its positive reputation in serving the poor.
In 2020, a YouTuber affiliated with Karuppar Desam falsely accused Sevabharati Trust of having ties to RSS and attempting to eradicate Christianity and also involved in the death of Christians in custody.
The case was filed by Sevabharati Trust against this allegations.
Despite being summoned by the High Court, the YouTuber failed to appear, finally in the loss of the case and a Rs 50 lakh payment to Sevabharati Trust.
With the recent judgment as a precedent, individuals can now file defamation cases against any YouTube video.
Consequently, content creators must exercise heightened caution when uploading videos in the future.
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