Will Google screen libelous content on YouTube before it's late?

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Be it a weird video or well-edited versions, many YouTubers fancy around digital information. Blame it on digital deluge or nitty-gritty of Web 2.0 invasion, social platforms are bringing in a societal dilemma and mystifying the state of affairs - politically, religiously and culturally.

The Web, predominantly YouTube, hosts close to 100 videos that deflate Obama. Scores of video posts, such as the 'Obama is an Antichrist', 'Barack Obama the Antichrist evidence', '100% proof the Antichrist is Barack Obama', and 'Obama is the Antichrist! Biblical Proof' are floating around on YouTube.

One in every four Americans suspect that U.S. President Barack Obama could be anti-Christ, revealed a poll-based survey that could be an outcome of misleading video posts on YouTube. It's not confined to the powerful U.S. leader, but many celebrities and politicians across geographies (not excluding Indian PM Manmohan Singh) become victims of pseudo-speech.

The Information Technology Rules, 2011, adopted in April 2011, empowers cyber litigations under the IT Act 2008 amendment. However, action against foreign websites can be taken, too. The intermediaries, it said, are required to take down objectionable content within 36 hours of notification. While the government bats for content pre-screening, the Internet companies are yet to blink.

Cyberlaw expert and senior counsel at India's apex court, Praveen Dalal, feels that an irresponsible behavior or unsubstantiated content on the social platforms or websites can have serious legal ramifications.

"Libelous content must be regulated strictly worldwide, as it has the tendency to bring about chaos in social and personal lives," Dalal told CIOL.

He feels that the circumstances may force the government to rethink for the larger benefits of all concerned, though he believes that there is sufficient regulation of social media websites.

Anyhow, Dalal said that there is a need to reformulate the cyber law altogether rather than piecemeal work, which is causing the entire problem.

Google, which owns YouTube, did not revert despite reminders to related queries from us.