The Allahabad High Court has ruled that merely liking a post on social media does not constitute an offence under Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which pertains to the publication or transmission of obscene material. This decision was delivered on April 17, 2025, by Justice Saurabh Srivastava while quashing criminal proceedings against Imran Khan, who had been booked for liking a Facebook post related to a protest gathering in Agra.
The court clarified that liking a post is distinct from sharing or reposting it. While sharing or retweeting a post can be considered as publishing or transmitting content, merely liking a post does not amount to either.
Furthermore, the court emphasized that Section 67 of the IT Act is specifically aimed at penalizing the publication or transmission of material that is lascivious or appeals to prurient interest, i.e., obscene content. It does not extend to provocative material or general digital engagement such as liking a post.
This ruling reinforces the distinction between passive and active engagement on social media platforms and underscores the importance of context when interpreting digital interactions under the law.
Sources