New rules to regulate social media will be finalised by Jan 2020: Centre to Supreme Court

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The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that new rules to regulate the social media, to prevent hate speech, fake news, defamatory posts and anti-national activities will be finalised by January 15, 2020.

It also sought three months more time for notifying the final revised rules in accordance with law.

The Supreme Court also transferred all cases pending before different High Courts relating to interlinking of Aadhaar database with social media profiles, to itself.

Centre told the Court that the government is not for invading privacy of citizens but privacy has to be balanced with national interest and sovereignty.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for government said, "No intermediary can say that in guise of privacy, terrorist activities can be protected."

The apex court on October 14 rejected a fresh public interest litigation seeking linking the 12-digit Aadhaar number to social media accounts, asking the petitioner to approach Madras High Court.

“Everything doesn’t need to come to the SC. This issue is before the Madras HC, you go there,” the top court said. The SC was responding to lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay’s latest PIL.

The plea sought a direction to the Centre for appropriate steps to link social media accounts with Aadhaar card to 'check menace of fake and paid news'.