Supreme court judge stresses need for strong regulatory framework to address social media abuse

Vijayawada: Supreme Court judge Justice J K Maheshwari on Saturday stressed the need for a strong regulatory framework to address social media abuse, while underscoring that freedom of speech carries collective responsibility.Delivering the keynote address at a seminar on "Social Media Abuse: The Imperative to Balance Freedom of Expression with Regulation", organised by the CR Media Academy of Andhra Pradesh and Swetcha Foundation, Justice Maheshwari expressed concern over the functioning of social media algorithms and their impact on public discourse.He said social media platforms increasingly reward engagement over accuracy, placing responsible journalism at a disadvantage. "A journalist who verifies a story over days now competes with unverified content posted within seconds. The economics of attention are hostile to responsible journalism," he observed.Justice Maheshwari noted that while the Constitution protects the right to dissent, criticism and even error, it does not protect speech that incites harm. He said the rise of social media transformed accountability, replacing identifiable publishers with algorithm-driven intermediaries that amplify content based on engagement.Stressing the need to strengthen existing legal frameworks, he said liability becomes unclear when platforms promote harmful content through algorithms designed to maximise user attention. "The algorithm is not neutral. It optimises engagement, often amplifying outrage and confirmation bias rather than truth or balance," he said.Referring to incidents of mob violence triggered by misinformation, including cases examined by the Supreme Court, he said the harms of unregulated digital communication were real and cost lives.Justice Maheshwari said balancing liberty with accountability in the digital space requires coordinated effort from citizens, institutions and lawmakers, adding that constitutional values must guide regulation in the evolving technological landscape. CR Media Academy chairman Alapati Suresh, AP Women Commission Chairperson Rayapati Shailaja, inspector general of police (IGP) and Eagle chief Ake Ravikrishna, high court advocate and Swetcha foundation representative Raviteja Padiri also explained the pros and cons of social media and how women and children have become most vulnerable to abuse.