CJI jabs troll armies over online abuse, discrimination

NT Bureau, Agencies

Chennai: Amid the buzz around Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Saturday cautioned about its potential flip sides, warning that it could become a tool to perpetuate discrimination.

Technology, especially one fostering quicker communication to a larger spectrum of audiences such as social media, and AI which has permeated all sectors, should create affordances against misuse because human values and individual privacy are of paramount importance, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said here on Saturday.

"Social media has allowed us to connect with people, removing barriers of age and nationality. But this new communication tool has led to new behaviour like online abuse and trolling. Likewise, AI contains the potential for misuse, mislead, threaten, or even bully individuals. Curbing its misuse for harmful purposes will be among the key challenges for you," he said addressing the graduating students at the 60th convocation of IIT Madras.

"When technology fails to address the negative behavior facilitated by new developments the law will step in to safeguard individual rights and continue the century-long dialogue between scientific development and legal regulation,"CJI said.

Technology should not create fear in the minds of users through online abuse or harassment. An impact of AI recruitment tools is that it appeared to show discrimination or bias, he claimed.

In conclusion, he emphasised that the marketplace of ideas had gotten a new meaning in the age of social media and the internet. However, this has also promoted certain kinds of negative behaviour, he pointed out.