Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on July 17 defended the government’s approach to online content regulation, arguing that the nature and impact of the internet has drastically changed — from a military-origin communications tool to a public platform that now threatens civic order and democratic processes.
Appearing before the Karnataka High Court in the case filed by X Corp (formerly Twitter), Mehta said that unchecked virality on platforms like X can spread falsehoods at scale and which can have real-world consequences.
“There was a Twitter (sic) post that went viral, photo of former CJI saying that 'I have done my best, democracy has gone to dogs, that I have no option but to ask people go to streets and take law into their hands' — that was sent to me, I immediately made sure it was taken down,” Mehta said, while giving an example to illustrate the need for timely executive action. He noted that traditional standards of judicial oversight may not be enough to deal with the speed and magnitude of online misinformation.
'People don’t read newspapers anymore’
Mehta also acknowledged the scale of digital transformation, and told the court that online platforms now dominate how Indians consume information, with traditional forms of media relegated to the background.
“People don't even read newspapers, they use phone,” he said.
He noted that this shift justified a regulatory model tailored for the internet, distinct from how newspapers or television were treated in the past. Earlier, while recalling the origins of the internet, Mehta remarked: “It was never contemplated that the internet would grow so much. It was a military program. Then it was used for communication with civil forces.”
Mehta also briefly touched on the growing use of artificial intelligence, warning that legal practitioners must be cautious while relying on AI-generated content.
“There are cases where lawyers start using AI for research. AI hallucinates. ChatGPT creates tailor made cases,” he said.
The bench comprising of Justice M Nagaprasanna echoed his concerns, and said, “Too much dependence on AI is dangerous. It will ruin the profession. Most dangerous thing to do is to use ChatGPT to write the judgment.”
The hearing will continue on March 18.
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