Govt Withdraws ‘Social Media Hub’ Plan After Sc’S Surveillance State Remark

On June 18, the Supreme Court had refused to accord urgent hearing on the plea seeking to stay a central government move to set up a ‘Social Media Communication Hub’ that would collect and analyse digital and social media content.

Weeks after the Supreme Court termed the government’s proposal to monitor online data akin to ‘creating a surveillance state’, the Centre told the apex court Friday that it has withdrawn the proposal for setting up a ‘Social Media Communication Hub’. The apex court had issued a notice to the Centre on a plea by Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Mahua Moitra.

Hearing the plea, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud had observed: “The government wants to tap citizens’ WhatsApp messages. It will be like creating a surveillance state.” The court had listed the matter for further hearing for August 3.

Earlier on June 18, the apex court had refused to accord urgent hearing on the plea seeking to stay a central government move to set up a ‘Social Media Communication Hub’ that would collect and analyse digital and social media content.

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