On Thursday, the Maharashtra Police initiated legal action against YouTube India following concerns raised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) regarding the presence of "indecent content" depicting mothers and sons on the video-sharing platform.
In response to the NCPCR's apprehensions about the "indecent content" involving mothers and sons on YouTube, the Maharashtra Police filed a case against YouTube India. The focus of the case is a particular YouTube channel operator who has also been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for sharing "challenge videos" portraying mother-son interactions.
The NCPCR, acting on its concerns, has summoned the head of government affairs and public policy for YouTube India to appear in person on January 15. The commission demands that the representative provide a comprehensive list of channels involved in disseminating such content.
The so-called "challenge videos" under scrutiny allegedly showcase inappropriate acts between mothers and adolescent sons, including kisses. NCPCR Chief Priyank Kanoongo addressed the issue in a letter directed to Mira Chatt, YouTube's head of government affairs and public policy in India.
Kanoongo expressed the commission's awareness of an alarming trend across YouTube channels, where challenge videos depict potentially indecent interactions between mothers and sons. He emphasized that these videos violate the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2012.
In an interview with India Today TV, Kanoongo underscored the severity of the situation, stating that several challenge videos on YouTube featuring mothers and sons are in violation of the POCSO Act. He emphasized the responsibility of YouTube to address and rectify this issue, asserting that those responsible for creating such content should face legal consequences. Kanoongo likened the commercialization of these videos to the sale of explicit content, stressing that any platform featuring videos involving the sexual abuse of children should be held accountable and face legal repercussions.
