Delhi High Court Rules on Blocking Entire Social Media Platforms
The Delhi High Court has ruled in favor of the Central government’s temporary decision to block the messaging app Telegram, asserting that entire applications or platforms can be restricted under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act). This section authorizes the government to block public access to any ‘information’ via computer resources when it concerns national security, sovereignty, public order, or related matters, providing the process is followed with documented reasons.
Justice Tejas Karia emphasized that the term ‘information,’ as defined in Section 2(1)(v) of the IT Act, should be interpreted broadly, rather than being limited to individual user accounts or specific content types like images or messages. “The expansive definition of ‘information’ suggests a technologically neutral and broad understanding, preventing the section from becoming obsolete,” Justice Karia explained.
The court further clarified that the term ‘computer resource’ encompasses applications and platforms acting through electronic impulses, involving functions such as input, processing, storage, and communication. “Thus, Respondent No. 1 has the authority under Section 69A of the IT Act to direct the blocking of public access to platforms like Telegram,” the court concluded.
Details of the Court’s Decision
The ruling addresses Telegram’s argument that Section 69A only permits the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India (MEITY) to block specific ‘information,’ not entire platforms. However, the court sided with the government’s stance that ‘information’ includes intermediaries and platforms.
In its detailed judgment, the court justified the temporary blocking of Telegram until June 22, alongside disabling its message-editing feature until June 30, as proportional measures to curb misinformation and criminal activities, particularly in relation to the NEET-UG 2026 examination. The court noted Telegram’s architecture facilitates the rapid spread of content through features like channels and cloud storage, raising concerns about public order due to potential misuse.
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Justice Karia observed that narrower solutions, such as removing specific bots and channels, were ineffective due to Telegram’s ability to quickly recreate content and migrate subscribers. The message-editing feature posed additional risks, allowing false claims about exam paper leaks before examinations.
Following MEITY’s directive under Section 69A, Telegram was blocked in India until June 22, and its message-editing feature was disabled until June 30. Telegram contested these actions, arguing discrimination under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, as other social media platforms were not subjected to similar restrictions.
The company indicated its efforts to cooperate with authorities, highlighting meetings from May onward and rapid removal of flagged content. Telegram reported having removed over 900 links connected to unlawful NEET content and employing AI, machine learning, and manual moderation to curb violations.
