Supreme Court won’t use Whatsapp to share video conference links from March 1

The
Supreme Court of India will not use WhatsApp groups to share video conference links for court hearings, but would rather use e-mails or direct message to phone numbers of the concerned parties or lawyers involved, said the apex court registry on Saturday. The rule would be implemented with effect from March 1.

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The registry issued a circular saying that instead of WhatsApp, the links will be shared on registered email ids and registered mobile numbers of the concerned advocates-on-record and party-in-person.

The move comes in the wake of newly introduced Information Technology (Guidelines for intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021).

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The Centre on Thursday announced new guidelines to regulate social media to strengthen the safe use of social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.

The new guidelines makes it necessary for the big-time social media platforms to set up a grievance redressal mechanism and India and disclose first originator of mischievous tweet or message that may interfere with national security or sovereignty.