Govt backout after SC’s surveillance state remark on ‘social media hub’

The Supreme Court of India scraped government’s proposal to monitor online data similar to ‘creating a surveillance state’, the Centre told the apex court on Friday that it has withdrawn the proposal for setting up a ‘Social Media Communication Hub’.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.

While hearing the plea, a bench constituting of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice 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 on August 3.

Also Read: Mumbaikars be careful while watching porn; Hackers lurking around

On June 18th, Supreme Court had refused to grant an urgent hearing on the appeal seeking a stay at central government’s move to set up a ‘Social Media Communication Hub’ that would collect and analyze digital and social media content data.

The counsel for Moitra added that the government is trying to monitor the social media content of individuals by tracking their social media accounts such as those on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and their e-mails.

The first released tender was advertised in January, the govt invited private companies to set up the project, as the number of bidders was less. It was re-announced for a second time in April, keeping the deadline of August to submit bids.

What is the proposed Social Media Communications Hub?

Public sector undertaking (PSU) under the ministry, Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited, had released a tender to supply software for the project.

The tender document reads, ‘A technology platform is needed to collect digital media chatter from all core social media platforms as well as digital platforms such as news, blog, etc. In a single system providing real-time insights, metrics and other valuable data’

Under the project, media persons would be employed on a contractual basis in each district to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the government and provide real-time updates from the ground.

‘The platform may be used to disseminate content and hence, should support publishing features,’ the document says, adding the platform needs to power a real-time New Media Command Room,’ the tender document said.