The Supreme Court of India has issued an interim directive prohibiting the extraction, modification, dissemination, monetization, posting, or uploading of judicial audio-video recordings on social media and digital platforms without prior administrative permission.
Under the order passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana, any sharing or alteration of courtroom proceedings now requires explicit consent from either the Secretary General of the Supreme Court or the Registrar General of the respective High Court.
Interim Restrictions on Judicial Media
The bench issued the ruling during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed to curb the unauthorized circulation and livestreaming of court proceedings.
To address the issue comprehensively, the top court impleaded all High Courts as parties to the case, directing them to submit detailed reports evaluating the impact of continuous livestreaming and the implementation status of existing judicial guidelines.
Additionally, the court served notices to major social media intermediaries, including Meta and X, and directed the Union Government to submit a regulatory proposal through relevant nodal ministries. The government was also instructed to provide a list of relevant digital platforms compiled in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Risks of AI Manipulation and Miscontextualization
During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cautioned the court against the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence tools. He pointed out that digital technologies can now easily alter the audio and lip movements of both judges and lawyers to fabricate statements, posing a significant risk to the integrity of judicial records.
Senior Advocate Vikas Singh supported the petition, arguing that while public broadcasts are beneficial, unauthorized short clips are frequently edited out of context and presented in a derogatory manner. He noted that existing model rules established in 2021 to protect Supreme Court proceedings are insufficient to resolve the broader problem across digital platforms.
Judicial Observations on Misuse
Highlighting the challenges of managing digital data, Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that judicial proceedings must not be permitted to function as continuous entertainment channels.
The bench expressed strong disapproval over growing trends where individuals attempt to gain social media celebrity status through court appearances, as well as instances where matters are orally mentioned before petitions are formally filed. Chief Justice Surya Kant further noted that media reporting has occasionally attributed statements to judges that were never made during hearings.
