Right to be forgotten: Karnataka High Court directs authorities to mask acquitted woman’s name from online records
The Karnataka High Court has ordered search engines and judicial record-keepers to mask the name of an acquitted woman from online records to protect her right to be forgotten. The court noted that the digital visibility of an obsolete accusation causes significant prejudice to an individual's life and career.
Why it matters
This ruling sets a significant legal precedent for digital privacy and the right to rehabilitation after acquittal in the digital age.
Emphasising the “right to be forgotten” in the digital age, the High Court of Karnataka has directed search engines and judicial record-keepers to mask the name of a woman, who was acquitted back in 2019 of charges under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, from online records.
“In an age where a few keystrokes often substitute for human inquiry and digital search results frequently shape public perception, the continued visibility of an obsolete accusation inflicts a civil consequence far graver than the criminal proceedings themselves,” the court observed.
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