Solicitor General Creates Fake ‘Supreme Court Of Karnataka’ X Account To Demonstrate Misinformation Risk

In a striking courtroom moment on Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented a fabricated social media account titled “Supreme Court of Karnataka” before the Karnataka High Court, aiming to underscore the ease with which misinformation can be spread online. The fake account, created solely for demonstration purposes, appeared convincingly authentic and was reportedly verified by X (formerly Twitter). However, it was deleted before the hearing concluded.

Mehta handed his phone to Justice M Nagaprasanna, displaying the account and emphasising the dangers of online impersonation. "We created this account. It is verified. I can now post anything, and lakhs would believe that the Supreme Court of Karnataka has said it," Mehta argued, as per a report on PTI.

The demonstration took place during a hearing in a case filed by X Corp, which is challenging several government-issued takedown orders under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. The company contends that only Section 69A and the accompanying IT Rules provide a lawful mechanism for blocking online content.

Citing the landmark Shreya Singhal judgment, Mehta argued that the digital age has blurred traditional lines of publishing and broadcasting, complicating content regulation.

However, the move drew criticism from Senior Advocate KG Raghavan, representing X Corp, who objected to the creation of a fake account and its presentation without formal submission. Justice Nagaprasanna noted the objection but clarified that the demonstration would not impact the merits of the case and was considered purely illustrative.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 25.

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