KOCHI: The High Court will file a case under the IT Act against online reviews that aim to harm a film. Justice Devan Ramachandran has suggested closely monitoring online platforms to prevent the spread of these reviews.

The State Police Chief has issued guidelines to prevent negative reviews and review bombing as ordered by the High Court. The Court has also directed the central government to study these guidelines and provide a report. They have recommended more efforts to find a long-term solution.

Amicus curiae Shyam Padmanabhan revealed that fake social media accounts are used for these reviews. The Court pointed out that reviews from unknown sources can lead to extortion attempts, posing a challenge to the entire industry. The Court has ruled that reviewers must disclose their names and other relevant information.

This directive from the High Court comes in response to a petition filed by Mubeen Rauf, the director of the film 'Aromalinte aadya pranayam'. The petition seeks to limit negative reviews on release dates and negative reports by online vloggers. The case will be re-examined in two weeks.

The protocol for handling such cases is as follows:

1.If a complaint is received regarding a review, the reviewer's details, history, profile picture, phone number, and username should be checked. Previous reviews, timing, and language should also be reviewed.

2.If a review contains offensive language, it may be considered 'review bombing'. If the reasons for the negative review are stated, it may be deemed well-intentioned.

3.Bringing political and social issues into the review is seen as malicious and should be handled separately.

4.The action taken against the review should be assessed to determine whether it affects the constitutional right to freedom of expression. Expert advice should be sought if necessary.