Supreme Court of India Warns Against Social Media's Threat to Fair Trials

The Supreme Court of India has cautioned against the increasing trend of individuals using mobile phones to record and upload videos, which the court says poses a significant threat to fair trials. A panel of judges, including Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, addressed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that highlighted instances of police personnel sharing images and videos of arrested people on social media. The petition argued that such actions could prejudice public opinion, leading to negative reactions against the courts if the accused are acquitted for lack of evidence. The court agreed with senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan's observation that "every person with a mobile phone has become media", noting that people often prioritize recording incidents over assisting victims. Justice Bagchi noted that police departments have been given three months to establish standard operating procedures for media briefings to balance transparency, the right to information, and the accused's right to a fair trial.