Plea in Supreme Court alleges fake social media handles root cause of riots; seeks removal

A petition was filed in Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking directions to remove fake social media accounts claiming that y promote communalism, ricalism, separatism, etc and is one of root causes of riots and recent Delhi violence. Dozens of people have been killed in violence, which began just before US President Donald Trump's state visit, and over 200 have been injured.

special leave petition (SPL), filed by BJP leer Ashwini Uphyay, is challenging a Delhi High Court order dated December 9, 2019, pertaining to linking social media accounts with proper identity proof. Delhi High Court h dismissed petition observing that to do a small good, by weeding out fake, ghost or duplicate accounts, majority of genuine account holders data will be at stake.

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'According to experts, around 10 % of m are duplicate'

petition said that while passing impugned order High Court failed to appreciate that presently a total number of Twitter handles in India are around 35 million and total number of Facebook accounts is 350 million, and according to experts around 10% of m are duplicate, bogus or fake. It said that court also failed to appreciate that re are hundreds of fake twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts in name of eminent peoples and high dignitaries including President of India, Vice President of India, Prime Minister of India, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice of India and Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts, etc.

se fake Twitter and Facebook accounts use real photos of constitutional authorities and eminent citizens and refore, common man relies upon messs published from se Twitter and Facebook accounts, plea said. " court also failed to appreciate that fake news is root cause of many riots including recent riots in Delhi. Fake accounts are used to promote casteism, communalism, regionalism, linguism, ricalism, and separatism, which endangers fraternity unity and national integration," it ded.

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'Publication of fake news involves use of black money'

petition said that right to kw is an integral part of Article 19 and exposure to accurate information is a necessity for electors to make an informed choice, but, fake news has a tendency to influence this choice in a negative manner. "Publication of fake news involves use of black money, under-reporting of election expenses and indulging in or kinds of malpractices. influence of black money also has potential to result in an imbalanced election between people of different financial statures," plea said.

It said that in order to have free and fair elections, which is a basic dictum of democracy, level playing field is paramount and this cant be achieved without weeding out fake social media accounts.

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(with ANI inputs)