New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Debate regarding data privacy of social media users was reopened on Tuesday when the Supreme Court issued notices to Union of India and also sought responses from Google, YouTube on the transfer petitions of Facebook.
Tamil Nadu government had contended that social media profiles of users need to be linked with Aadhaar numbers to check the circulation of fake, anti-national and terror content.
The bench ruled that the hearing in cases related to the linkage of social media user profiles with the biometric 12 digit unique identification number pending before the Madras High Court will continue but no final order will be passed.
A bench, headed by Justice Deepak Gupta, issued notice to UOI, Google and YouTube on hearing the transfer petitions of Facebook.
"We issue notice to the respondents concerned in the case," the bench ruled. It set September 13 for the response.
Apex court also agreed to examine the issue as Facebook, Whatsapp pleaded for transfer of all cases from various High Courts. Centre, through Attorney-General KK Venugopal, stressed on need to link Aadhaar with social media accounts.
In its historic judgement in September last year, the Supreme Court had ruled that Aadhaar linkage was not mandatory, with certain exceptions such as government subsidies.
UNI XC RP1913