Google has reportedly informed the Delhi High Court that the new IT Rules 2021 do not apply to it as Google is a search engine and not a social media intermediary like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
In this regard, Google has urged the Delhi HC to quash its order dated April 20 which applied the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 to it, while dealing with an issue related to removal of offending content from the Internet. Earlier on April 20, 2021, the Delhi HC had issued a slew of directions on a petition filed by a citizen.
In its appeal to the Delhi HC, Google stated that the court order had generally observed that for removal or access disablement of offending content, they must be blocked throughout the world. According to Google, this observation was overbroad and cannot apply to all takedown orders for all grievances.
The case has been posted for further hearing on July 25, 2021.
