Delhi High Court Directs Google, Apple To Crack Down On Apps Promoting Pornography, Prostitution And Illegal Activities

May 13, 2026 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed tech giants Google and Apple to take stringent action against mobile applications hosted on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store that allegedly promote pornography, prostitution and other unlawful activities.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that protecting future generations from such harmful influences was a matter of paramount importance. The Court held that intermediaries like Google and Apple are legally obligated not only to act upon receiving complaints but also to exercise due diligence before permitting such applications to be listed on their platforms.

Referring to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Bench noted that intermediaries must ensure compliance at the stage of initial upload itself instead of adopting a purely reactive approach after complaints are filed.

The Court directed Google, Apple and the Central Government to immediately curb the dissemination of such applications and ensure strict implementation of the 2021 IT Rules in both letter and spirit. It also ordered the parties to file an action-taken report before the next hearing scheduled in July.

The observations came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Rubika Thapa, alleging that several apps available on digital platforms facilitate pornographic content, immoral trafficking, prostitution, substance abuse, illegal arms trade and organised crime.

Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Tanmaya Mehta argued that these applications were generating millions of dollars through unlawful activities.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Central Government, supported the plea and urged the Court to direct strict action against such applications. He submitted that intermediaries play a crucial role in curbing illegal online platforms, as the government alone cannot monitor and block every unlawful application operating globally.