NEW DELHI: The proposal to create a 'Social Media Communication Hub' has been withdrawn, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday.


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“Social media hub policy would be reviewed by government,” Attorney General K K Venugopal told a three-bench judge of the top court, headed by CJI Dipak Mishra.


Tweeting on the hearing, the Internet Freedom Foundation wrote:



In January this year, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry planned to set up a hub to monitor social media activities, trending news in districts and gather feedback on the Centres flagship schemes.


In a tender, the government sought bids for a firm that could provide 800 employees to monitor social media and other online communications at a micro level.


Later, the Supreme Court lashed at the government over it and observed that it will be "like creating a surveillance state". On August 24 last year, a nine-judge bench of the Apex Court declared that privacy is a constitutional right.


The judges were unanimous in their finding. In their order, the judges cited various reasons for their conclusion and said: "The right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution."