Man sues YouTube for "distraction" but ends up getting fined
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New Delhi: After a man sought Rs 75 lakh compensation from Google for advertisements on YouTube distracting him, the Supreme Court fined him Rs 25,000 for the "atrocious" petition.
The petitioner said the advertisements shown with YouTube videos allegedly had explicit content. This diverted his attention and could not clear a competitive exam. He also sought a ban on nudity on social media platforms.
A bench of Justices SK Kaul and AS Oka said it is one of the most atrocious petitions filed under Article 32 (of the Constitution) and stated that this kind of petitions are "utter wastage" of judicial time. The court also asked: "You want damages because you saw advertisements on the internet, and you say because of that your attention was diverted, and you could not clear the exam?"
The court declared that why the petitioner chose to watch the advertisements is his prerogative. "If you don't like an advertisement, don't watch it."
The bench initially imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh and dismissed the plea. The Madhya Pradesh resident then sought forgiveness and requested to remove the cost imposed and said he is unemployed. He appeared in person and argued in Hindi. The court then reduced the fine to s 25,000.
