Day 53 – Q 1.What are your views on the idea of linking social media accounts to Aadhar? Will it be beneficial in any way from the perspective of India’s internal security? Critically comment.

1. What are your views on the idea of linking social media accounts to Aadhar? Will it be beneficial in any way from the perspective of India’s internal security? Critically comment. 

सोशल मीडिया अकाउंट्स को आधार से जोड़ने के विचार पर आपके क्या विचार हैं? क्या यह भारत की आंतरिक सुरक्षा के दृष्टिकोण से किसी भी तरह से फायदेमंद होगा? समालोचनात्मक टिप्पणी करें।

Introduction:

Recently, Tamil Nadu government told the Supreme Court that social media profiles should be linked to users Aadhaar number to check terrorist messages, pornography, and fake news.

Body

Good Idea, can be looked after

• With the increase in number of fake news posts on social media, this can help with identifying the originator of fake news, with intentions are to create tensions in the society.
• Recent issue of online Blue Whale game, which led to suicides of many. It was difficult for the government to trace the originator.
• It is estimated that around 15% of twitter accounts are by bots, these bots are not human run, still they play a big role in spreading fake news.
• The increase in crimes such as Child pornography, Revenge porn, morphed photographs etc are on rise.
• Many anti-national posts and hate posts too are on rise, this creates social unrest.
• Social Media companies too have failed to keep a check on such posts despite receiving complaints.

Concerns

• There are many privacy concerns, this might be in conflict with the recent Aadhaar Judgement.
• Whatsapp has recently said that it cannot share the Aadhaar number with a third party as the content on its instant messaging Whatsapp was end-to-end encrypted and even they do not have access to it.
• Large number of fake news is generated from foreign nations too, this provision won’t be able to address the issue.
• There is concern with regards to fair investigation, government might burst heavily on its critics too.
• Facebook reported the issue of Cambridge Analytica two years from the incident, with the absence of data localisation, how safe would Aadhaar details be stored with social media companies.

Yes, It can address India’s internal security issues 

• Social Media has the potential to mobilize large crowds, there exists threat to peace when crowd attempts to disturb the atmosphere. Hence, precautionary steps can be taken, if authorities are aware of such events.
• The offensive clips and hate messages have created social unrest like observed in Muzzaffarnagar riots 2013, Assam Ethnic clashes 2012 etc, spread of such videos and posts can be curtailed.
• Social media has become a potent tool for radicalisation by terror groups, arrest of Mehdi Masoor Biswas, in 2014, accused of being the man behind terror group Islamic State’s (ISIS) most influential Twitter handle in India, brought to surface the extent of the threat posed by the misuse of social media.
• There is always a virtual community in social media that attempts to bring in political instability and revolution, sometimes using anti-national posts.
• The recent phenomena of Urban Naxals, who use the social media platform to reach out to naxalites.

However, there might exist few challenges. Most of the cyber terrorism originates from outside the national boundaries. Open-Source monitoring is possible, but monitoring of personal conversations will spark off debate. 

Way Forward

• Social media companies need to be made compliant with Indian laws, when operating in India. 
• Social media companies should be forced to ensure that they should store the metadata of all the content that is uploaded and by whom, they should store the details of the source.
• Laws can be made as per the recommendations of BN Srikrishna report on “Data Protection”.
• Social Media lab (2013) Model of Maharashtra can be worked upon.

Conclusion

As stated by Supreme Court, there is a need to find a balance between the right to online privacy and the right of the state to trace the origins of hateful messages and fake news. Any state intervention for regulation of online content has to pass the test of proportionality laid down by the Supreme Court in Puttaswamy Privacy judgement.