Judicial Concerns: Mobile Media and Its Impact on Fair Trials

The Supreme Court raises concerns over instant social media uploads of criminal cases, which may hinder fair trials. It suggests awaiting new guidelines on police media briefings. The court underscores the challenge of controlling media narratives that could skew public perception and affect justice.

The Supreme Court has sounded an alarm over the increasing trend of people using mobile phones to upload videos on social media, potentially jeopardizing fair trials. During a session, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi highlighted how such activities could form biases against the accused.

Amidst discussions over a public interest litigation, concerns were raised about police uploading images of accused individuals on social platforms. The court emphasized the need for comprehensive guidelines for police briefings and questioned potential measures to curb media bias, especially on social media.

While examining the risks of media trials, parallels were drawn with traditional media, noting social media's often reckless narrative spinning. The dialogues underlined the broader necessity to ensure fair trial mechanisms in the age of digital media proliferation.