THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS EVIDENCE ACCORDING TO INDIAN LAW

The burgeoning use of social media raises questions about its evidentiary value in Indian courts. This abstract explores the legal landscape surrounding social media as evidence under the Indian Evidence Act (IEA) and the Information Technology Act (ITA). Drawing on legal scholarship and recent case law, the abstract highlights the key points:

·       Admissibility: Social media content can be admitted as evidence if properly authenticated under Section 65B of the IEA. This requires a certificate from a person authorized under the ITA.

·       Recent Case Law: Landmark judgments like "State of Maharashtra vs. Pratik Manoharlal Chaudhari" (2018) and "Shafi Mohammad vs. State (NCT of Delhi)" (2018) clarify the procedures for authentication and expand the scope for using social media evidence.

·       Methodology: A clear methodology for presenting social media evidence exists: identification, preservation, authentication, relevance assessment, and weight determination.