NEW DELHI: Social media profiles must be linked to users’ Aadhaar number, Attorney General of India K K Venugopal told the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, he opposed the plea by Facebook that all cases in different high courts on the same issue be clubbed together and heard by the top court.
Venugopal argued that linking Aadhaar with social media accounts will help check for terror messages, pornography, and fake news.
A bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose issued notice to the Centre, and Google, Twitter and YouTube.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Facebook said this is an international issue, and that high courts should not interfere unless the central government takes a view.
The SC bench clarified the hearings in the Madras HC can go on but no final orders can be passed.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for WhatsApp argued, “WhatsApp is a global product. Any interim order will apply not just in India but globally. It is necessary that the Supreme Court takes it up and decides the question once and for all because different high courts cannot pass different orders.”