Supreme Court Directs Centre to Block Misuse of Live Court Videos

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to create rules to stop the commercial misuse of live court video feeds. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant heard the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated that feedback from different High Courts and groups has been gathered and sent to the ministry. Mr. Mehta told the court that the ministry will review the ideas and reply within a few days, while asking the bench to list the case again after the Deepavali break.

Action Plan

Mr. Mehta pointed out that previous rules are being broken and asked the court to order the removal of videos posted against these limits. The bench noted that strict steps against people who break the rules will be added to the new policy framework. Earlier, the court banned the unauthorized sharing and commercial use of live court hearings on social media, stating that public goods cannot be used for private money-making.

Suggestions and Concerns

Advocate Prashant Bhushan proposed that every official video clip from the court should have a digital signature or watermark so people can tell real footage apart from edited versions. He also suggested that all hearings should be hosted on the official Supreme Court website in a verified and watermarked way. The court is looking into this matter because of worries that video clips are being stolen, changed, shared, and sold with misleading captions.

Context

Live streaming of court hearings helps bring more openness and lets the public watch how justice works in India. However, this progress also creates new challenges around copyright, privacy, and the risk of edited clips spreading false information online.