Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant was the chief guest at the 2nd Law and Constitution Dialogue, presented by NewsX and Legally Speaking at the NDMC Convention Centre in Delhi.
Justice Surya Kant began his keynote address by speaking about the relationship between law and social media, in continuation with the speech he made at the 1st Dialogue hosted in November 2022 on the issue of the ‘Responsibility of Media in Legal Reportage’.
“The media is a bridge between the legal realm and the public. It can bolster and also undermine the power of justice,” Justice Surya Kant said as he reminded the media of its responsibility.
He warned journalists against fake news and the rush to break stories that can distort public understanding, urging the media to commit to truth, objectivity, and accuracy.
But a major focus of Justice Surya Kant was social media, where he addressed the crucial issue dominating the Indian news space — Deepfakes.
“Deepfake is manipulating perceptions, and it compromises the foundation of truth and trust, which is a matter of great concern. Deepfakes have led to tarnishing individual’s reputations,” said the Supreme Court judge as he called it a serious societal risk that needs action.
Justice Surya Kant also recalled the viral Hillary Clinton video that was a Deepfake to address the extent of this problem.
“The Hillary Clinton video showed her torturing a young girl,” he remarked, making a point of the impact it would have on average citizens who might not have the ability to fight these manipulations.
Calling for serious deliberations and actions, Justice Surya Kant said, “We must ensure that AI humanity progresses towards truth.”
Besides Deepfakes, Justice Surya Kant also addressed the issue of fake news on social media and cyberbullying.
“Introduction of paid verification added fuel to the fire,” warned Justice Surya Kant.
The Supreme Court judge also suggested solutions like making a comprehensive law to target fake news and also governance boards via social media platforms, which could be key steps in addressing the problem.
Addressing the issue of cyberbullying, Justice Surya Kant said that 80 per cent of Indian children reported cyberbullying, acknowledging that the number could be higher since a lot of cyberbullying incidents go unreported.
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