Order asking for ban on TikTok challenged in Supreme Court

An appeal has been filed in the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the Madras High Court order imposing a ban on Chinese video app TikTok.

The matter was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi which would take up the plea in due course.

In its April 4 order, the Madras High Court directed the government to ban the app, saying it was "encouraging pornography". The order also restrained the media from telecasting videos made using the app.

The order was passed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and S S Sundar.

The order came in after the court noted that through this app, children are being exposed to inappropriate content including pornography adding that minors are also being exposed to strangers through this app.

"It is evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate contents are made available in this kind of cyber applications. The children are exposed to strangers and there is a possibility of the photographs and other private details of the children are being landed in the hands of predators or third parties," the bench observed.

Following this, the court had also asked the state government to file a report regarding the steps taken by the state authorities to prohibit Tik Tok app.

Both the central government and the state government were directed to respond before April 16.

"On March 27, an auto driver was arrested for posting a video that included a woman from Chennai on Tik Tok Mobile App. A 15-year-old girl is said to have committed suicide at Mumbai for being scolded by her grandmother for use of Tik Tok Mobile App. An old man is said to have fallen in the waterfalls in Valparai, while taking a selfie or Tik Tok video. Before many tragic incidents would occur, the Government has to take appropriate steps," the plea filed by Madurai senior lawyer Muthu Kumar read.

TikTok, an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has over 54 million monthly active users in India.