On Monday, July 15, 2025, the Supreme Court highlighted the importance of freedom of speech and expression, emphasizing that citizens must appreciate its value and practice self-regulation while it deliberates on potential guidelines for dealing with offensive social media content .

The Court noted the alarming increase in divisive and inflammatory material online and stressed the need for responsible conduct from users, alongside proactive measures from platforms to curb harmful content. It underscored that self-restraint, not state censorship, should be the guiding principle in safeguarding democratic discourse.

The remarks come amid hearings in the case involving cartoonist Hemant Malviya, who faces charges over allegedly offensive social media posts targeting public figures. The Court questioned whether such expressions constituted a misuse or aggravated form of free speech . Though no immediate judgment was delivered, the direction is clear: future regulatory frameworks must strike a balance between preventing abuse and protecting democratic freedoms without resorting to heavy-handed censorship.