Supreme Court notice to Twitter, Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Union government and Twitter on a petition asking for a mechanism to check fake news and hate messages, seditious and incendiary content on Twitter and other social media platforms.

BJP leader Vinit Goenka had filed the petition in May last year, asking for a mechanism to check Twitter content and advertisements spreading hatred through fake news and instigative messages though fake accounts.

The petition said there were hundreds of fake Twitter handles and Facebook accounts in the name of eminent people and dignitaries and he had sought action, but none was taken. Social media accounts were used by political parties to "tarnish the image of opponents", particularly during elections, the BJP leader said.

The top court heard the petition at a time the government has been pressing Twitter to block nearly 1,100 accounts and posts that it says have been spreading misinformation and provocative content linked to the farmer protests against central agricultural laws since November.

The government has also drawn up draft rules to regulate social media, streaming and digital news content, which will include a code of ethics and a mechanism to report problematic content and ask for its removal.