The Validity of WhatsApp Screenshots as Civil Evidence After Supreme Court Decisions
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This study examines the validity of WhatsApp screenshots as evidence in civil procedural law after the issuance of Supreme Court Regulation (PERMA) Number 3 of 2022 concerning Electronic Proceedings and several relevant Supreme Court decisions. The main issue raised is the legal uncertainty regarding the evidentiary strength of digital screenshots, which are often regarded by judges merely as preliminary evidence. This study uses a normative juridical method with a statutory approach and a case approach. The results prove that, after the PERMA, WhatsApp screenshots do not automatically become valid evidence unless they are supported by an electronic certificate or expert testimony. The Supreme Court, in Decision No. 123 K/Pdt/2023, affirmed that screenshots without verification through reverse image search or metadata analysis do not have evidentiary strength. It is concluded that the validity of WhatsApp screenshots must be tested through the principle of lex informatica and must meet the requirements for electronic evidence as regulated in the Electronic Information and Transactions Law. This study recommends that judges apply strict interpretation and avoid relying solely on screenshots in the evidentiary process of civil cases.
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