A woman moved Telangana High Court to get her private photos, which were posted online by her friend, deleted.
Justice K. Lakshman, who recently heard the petition filed by the woman’s mother, directed the Cyber Crime wing of Cyberabad police to explain by March 30 what action was taken by it to get the online content deleted. Mother of a five-year-old kid, the woman lives in Australia with her husband.
Recently, her family members came across her private photos on different social media platforms and in some porn websites. The woman’s mother living in Hyderabad approached the Cyber Crime police station of Hyderabad and lodged a complaint. Inquiries by the police revealed that a friend of the woman when she was in her teens had secured her intimate photos.
He secured her photos stating that he would end his life if she does not send such photos of private moments to him. When the woman eventually ended friendship with the friend, the latter posted the photos on social media platforms to harass her. Following a complaint lodged by her, the photos were removed from social media platforms in 2012.
The woman got married and was living in Australia with her husband and kid when the photos resurfaced online in 2019. This time, some social media accounts were created with her name and the private photos were posted online. The woman and the police too had written to the social media platform operators to get the photos deleted.
Justice K. Lakshman permitted the petitioner to approach the Union Ministry of Communications to file an application to take action as per law against the persons responsible for circulation of the objectionable content online. The judge directed some social media platform operators to file affidavits explaining the measures they had taken to safeguard the privacy of people.
