In one of the most sensational event to occur in recent days, PepsiCo India has secured an interim 'John Doe' or 'Ashok Kumar' order from the Delhi High Court, which will now make social media platforms responsible for deleting any post maligning the company's product Kurkure.

The Origin Of The Conflict

The origin of the controversy involving PepsiCo’s popular snack in the Indian market is not unknown to social media users. For quite a long time, videos and messages are seen across social media sites that showed how Kurkure can catch fire easily.

These messages often implied that the product was made out of plastic. However, the manufacturers claimed that this happened due to the presence of starch and oil in the product.

The allegations also prompted PepsiCo to approach the court.

The court order would mean that approximately 20,000 Facebook posts, 3,412 Facebook links, 242 YouTube videos, six Instagram links, and 562 tweets will now have to be deleted, according to a Business Standard report.

What Is 'John Doe' or 'Ashok Kumar' Order

The term ‘John Doe’ order traces its origin all the way to medieval England. They usually indicated towards orders directed against persons or groups that are not identifiable. Oxford Dictionary defined John Doe as “Anonymous Party”.

These orders are significant in modern days, where technology and the large influence of social media groups make identification quite hard.

They are often used when the complaint finds it hard to identify the exact details of the accused who are protected by the expanse and anonymity particularly of the cyber world.

John Doe orders provide relief to the victims and grant timely protection of their rights by avoiding the delay and difficulties in seeking relief due to anonymity of the offenders.

Ashok Kumar is the Indian substitute of John Doe and nobody knows how the name came to be used as a local substitute for John Doe. But the name has gained legal acceptability, according to India Legal.

In India, this order is mostly related to pirating of movies, illegal broadcasting of channels, and illegal publishing of books, among others.

First Published:Jul 27, 2018 1:53 PM IST