Colombo District Court issues injunction order against YouTube

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Colombo District Court recently has issued an injunction order preventing YouTube LLC, the parent company in California and Colombo Today (YouTube channel), from publishing defamatory videos on YouTube that could tarnish the reputation of the Russian Education Center  (REC Campus) in Sri Lanka.

The injunction order was issued against the YouTube channel and Keerthi Dunuwila of Colombo Today. This order will be effective until the end of the trial.

Colombo District Court Judge Aruna Aluthge made this order pursuant to a lawsuit filed by the Russian Campus Institute in Sri Lanka, a foreign education provider in the country in the field of medicine, dentistry and engineering.
The plaintiff had initiated legal action against YouTube LLC, a California-based social media network, for offering a popular video-sharing platform over publication of defamatory videos, injuring the business reputation of REC Campus. 

The plaintiff alleged that YouTube LLC facilitated the creation of ‘channels’ on its platform, with almost zero verification of authenticity and identity of persons, for commercial gain. 

The plaintiff maintained that it was compelled to initiate legal action against the defendants since they recklessly refused to remove the alleged video, in spite of the complaints and legal notices. 
The matter was fixed for argument on March 23, 2022.

Counsel Manoj Bandara and Nayomi Chethana, instructed by Sudath Perera Associates, appeared for the plaintiff.