Privacy issue: SC bench to hear on January 17, 2023

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it would take up on January 17, 2023, a plea by two students contending that WhatsApp's policy to share users' data with parent company Facebook and others is a violation of their privacy and free speech.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph asked the parties to complete pleadings in the matter by December 15.

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"We are inclined to adjourn the matter to January 17, 2023, for final hearing," the bench also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar said.

The apex court was hearing the plea filed by two students -- Karmanya Singh Sareen and Shreya Sethi -- challenging the contract entered into between the two companies to provide access to calls, photographs, texts, videos and documents shared by users is a violation of their privacy and free speech.