NEW DELHI:
The proposal to create a 'Social Media Communication Hub' has been withdrawn, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday.
“Social media hub policy would be reviewed by government,” Attorney General K K Venugopal told a three-bench judge of the top court, headed by CJI Dipak Mishra.
In January this year, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry planned to set up a hub to monitor social media activities, trending news in districts and gather feedback on the Centres flagship schemes.
In a tender, the government sought bids for a firm that could provide 800 employees to monitor social media and other online communications at a micro level.
Later, the Supreme Court lashed at the government over it and observed that it will be "like creating a surveillance state". On August 24 last year, a nine-judge bench of the Apex Court declared that privacy is a constitutional right.
The judges were unanimous in their finding. In their order, the judges cited various reasons for their conclusion and said: "The right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution."