In a decisive clarification, the Karnataka bench emphasized that Google India is a standalone entity, distinct from its global counterparts. By drawing a firm line between the local subsidiary and the parent companies that host user material, the judges effectively insulated Google India from any direct responsibility for posts and videos on YouTube and other platforms.
The court’s ruling hinges on the principle that separate legal personalities cannot be conflated—what one arm does does not automatically bind another. By upholding this separation, the bench confirmed that any content disputes must be pursued against the actual host companies rather than the Indian arm.
With this judgment, the court has set a clear precedent: subsidiaries cannot be treated as mere extensions of their parent firms when it comes to digital content liability, reinforcing corporate boundaries in the age of global internet services.
