Delhi HC Orders Meta to Disclose Reasons for Instagram Account Disablement

The Delhi High Court on August 17 ordered Meta Platforms to place on record the material and reasons for disabling the Instagram account of stock market analyst Aakanksha Gupta. Meta had also restricted three of her other accounts, according to reports.

Gupta, a research analyst registered with India's Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), sued Meta after Instagram removed her account, citing community standards on "adult sexual solicitation." Gupta denies this allegation.

The court's order is significant as platforms rarely disclose the evidence behind their content moderation decisions. India's IT Rules require large platforms to notify users of the reasons for content removal or access restriction and provide an opportunity to dispute the action. Gupta claims she repeatedly asked Meta for the basis of its decision without receiving it.

This case could set a precedent by compelling platforms to reveal the underlying material for their decisions. Disputes over platform enforcement are typically handled through internal appeal processes or a dedicated appellate committee. If Meta's objection to the jurisdiction fails, this case may demonstrate that such disputes can be pursued in commercial courts.

Meta raised a preliminary objection, arguing the suit is not maintainable and that the dispute does not concern intellectual property rights. However, Meta has agreed to preserve all four of Gupta's accounts and has three weeks to file its written statement.