New Delhi: Realising the grave consequences of pornographic sites on Internet, the Union government on February 17 moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of two petitions in High Courts advocating protection of children from cyber pornography and possible misuse of Internet in allowing them access to pornographic and adult sites.

A Bench comprising justice R C Lahoti and justice Arun Kumar issued notice on the petition seeking transfer of two petitions pending before Kerala and Madras High Courts on this issue, so that an authoritative pronouncement could be given by the apex court.

Appearing for the Centre, attorney general Soli J Sorabjee shared the concern expressed in the two petitions pending before the High Court regarding uncontrolled access given to the children by various cyber cafes to children in accessing pornographic sites.

However, detailing the steps taken by the government to stop this abuse, he cited the affidavit filed by the government in the Delhi High Court on the steps to prevent misuse of Internet in allowing access to pornographic/adult sites to minors in India.

He said the government in its licence agreement with the Internet service providers (ISPs) stipulated that the licensee "shall ensure that objectionable, obscene, unauthorised pr any other content, message or a communication infringing copyright, intellectual copyright and international and domestic cyber Laws in any form or inconsistent with the Laws of India are not carried in its network and the ISPs should take necessary measures to protect the same".

PTI