SC Orders Influencers to Apologize for Mocking Disabled

The Supreme Court on Monday directed five social media influencers, including "India's Got Latent" host Samay Raina, to broadcast unconditional apologies on their platforms for mocking individuals with disabilities and rare genetic disorders like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and visual impairments. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, warned that penalties could be imposed later for such offensive content.

The court also instructed the Centre to formulate guidelines to regulate content that ridicules or offends disabled persons, women, children, and senior citizens, emphasizing that freedom of speech does not extend to commercial content that harms community sentiments. “These guidelines must be comprehensive, not a knee-jerk reaction, and should incorporate stakeholder views,” the bench told Attorney General R. Venkataramani.

The directive follows a July 15 hearing where the court summoned the influencers for their derogatory remarks. Four of the accused appeared in court, while Sonali Thakkar (alias Sonali Aditya Desai) was exempted from physical appearance after agreeing to air an apology. The court criticized Raina’s initial affidavit, which attempted to justify his actions, stating, “He tried to look innocent instead of offering a genuine apology.”

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The case has sparked widespread debate, with posts on X condemning the influencers’ insensitivity while others call for stricter social media regulations. The Supreme Court’s move signals a crackdown on harmful content, aiming to protect vulnerable communities. As the Centre works on guidelines, the influencers face mounting pressure to comply, with potential fines looming if they fail to adhere to the court’s orders.

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