Comedians Ordered to Use Platforms for Good, Raise Funds for Rare Disorders
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In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has directed five social media influencers, including comedian Samay Raina, to utilize their digital platforms to create awareness and generate funds for children suffering from rare disorders like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The court's order came after the comedians were criticized for mocking people with disabilities in a recent video. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, observed that the comedians' actions were not spontaneous, but rather premeditated. The court emphasized that the best form of regulation is self-regulation and that the idea of perversity is related to society. To make amends, the comedians have been asked to host at least two events a month to generate funds for the treatment of children with SMA. The court also took note of the astronomical treatment costs for children with SMA, which can run up to ₹16 crore for a single child. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, appearing for petitioner NGO Cure SMA India Foundation, highlighted the importance of creating awareness and fundraising efforts to support these children. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta supported the plea for remedial action, stating that the problem was not spontaneous humor but premeditated scripting. The court has given the comedians an opportunity to show repentance and commitment to the cause of persons with disabilities. If they succeed in generating funds and creating awareness, the events will have a widespread positive effect, the bench observed. The court has also proposed stronger age-verification measures, such as Aadhaar-based gating, to regulate online content and protect children from explicit or sensitive material. This development follows the bench's August 2025 order directing the comedians to publish unconditional apologies and indicate the monetary penalty they were willing to pay for purging the contempt. The court emphasized that commercial speech carries responsibilities and that the right to dignity must prevail over free speech when they collide.
