India, Dec. 2 -- The Supreme Court on Monday stressed the importance of a balanced approach to regulating YouTube and similar platforms, cautioning that inflexible and harsh rules to regulate YouTubers and those on similar digital platforms could impose a "gag on free speech" and prove "devastating", even as it acknowledged the growing need for an effective mechanism to protect privacy, dignity and reputation of individuals and organisations from harmful online content.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that while the court was conscious of increasing instances where individuals' rights were infringed through online videos and commentary, a balanced approach was essential.

"Unless there is som...