The Government of India today informed the Supreme Court that it has withdrawn plans for setting up a Social Media Communications Hub. This comes just weeks after the SC had raised concerns about monitoring online data terming the proposal akin to creating a ‘surveillance state’. The apex court had issued a notice to the GOI on a plea by TMC legislator Mahua Moitra.
The matter was heard by a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, and Justices DY Chandrachud and AM Khanwilkar. At the previous hearing the judges has remarked, “The government wants to tap citizens’ WhatsApp messages. It will be like creating a surveillance state.”
Today the Attorney General submitted “We are taking advantage of what Justice Chandrachud remarked in the last hearing”. He further stated that the Government will review it internally. The case was disposed off with a recorded undertaking that the government was withdrawing its tender. This effectively puts an end to the plans for a Social Media Hub and is being seen by privacy activists as a huge win!