FB, Google execs need not appear in court

The Delhi High Court on Thursday exempted executives of Google Inc and Facebook Inc from appearing for a hearing in a lawsuit against content deemed offensive, granting a temporary reprieve after a lower court issued summons to them.

Judge Suresh Kait said the lawyers representing the companies must appear, instead at a hearing scheduled for March 13 in a city magistrate’s court. The HC will examine on May 3 whether to quash the summons sent last month. The companies have argued that it’s impossible to pre-screen and monitor all blogs and social-networking sites.