India, Aug. 2 -- The protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar once again demonstrated how social media has become an indispensable tool for democratic mobilisation. Platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube enable citizens to organise peacefully, share information instantly, amplify voices that may otherwise go unheard, and hold authorities accountable. In a democracy, these functions are closely linked to the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression.

At the same time, the immense reach of social media also carries risks. False information, hate speech, abusive content, incitement to violence and targeted harassment can undermine public order and erode civil discourse. This makes reasonable restrictions both neces...