Taking responsibility for internet content

The internet is undoubtedly one of the most powerful and influential media of communication today; a vast variety and amount of information is being exchanged online at any given time. The structure of the internet makes it easy for users to search for information, sort search results and access selected documents. This capacity is rapidly leading the internet to take precedence as a source of information over analog formats such as printed media, including books.

However, the quality of information delivered over the internet is often questionable, due to the anonymity of authors. In many cases, it is difficult or impossible to verify the source of information, and the repetition of information is no guarantee of its accuracy.

While there is general awareness that information delivered via the internet is often unreliable, it is still common for people to base actions upon such unverified information. In cases of injury resulting from such actions, the challenging question then arises as to how to determine the extent and type of liability, and the person to be held liable.

Rahul Chaudhry was called to the bar in September 2002. He joined Lall Lahiri & Salhotra in January 2004 and became a partner just four years later. Along with the firm’s founding partners, Anuradha Salhotra and Amar Raj Lall, Chaudhry is regarded as one of the most prominent faces of IP management in India.