Some YouTube channels are a menace to society: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court on Thursday orally observed that some YouTube channels were deliberately publishing derogatory content to boost their subscription, and were thus turning out to be a “menace to the society.”.Justice K Kumaresh Babu, who was presiding over a vacation bench, also said that the government must step in to “control these undesirable activities.”“Is this what you call an interview? Questions are asked knowing very well that the person being interviewed will make derogatory statements,” the Court said..The judge made the comments while hearing the anticipatory bail petition filed by G Felix Gerald, who is associated with the RedPix YouTube channel. Gerald was booked under provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act of 1988 following his interview with YouTuber Savukku Shankar recently.Earlier this week, following an interview where Shankar allegedly made derogatory comments against women and women police personnel, several complaints were made against him as well as Gerald across the State Shankar was arrested by the Coimbatore Police on May 4 and remanded to judicial custody subsequently. He is currently lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison.Gerald approached the High Court seeking protection from arrest soon after..On Thursday, Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) E Raj Thilak opposed the petition. Thilak told the Court that while interviewing Shankar, Gerald had led and facilitated the latter to make derogatory statements against women police personnel.The APP also said that Gerald had failed to appear before the police despite having been summoned..On hearing this, the Court remarked that Gerald too should have been arrayed as an accused along with Shankar.It then granted a week’s time to the police to file a counter affidavit to Gerald’s anticipatory bail plea.