Awareness progs at PS level on cyber security remains least priority
*Wants detailed information on modernization of policing
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 12: As the social media is being increasingly used for spreading hostile narratives and posing severe threat to the cyber security, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sought information from the Jammu and Kashmir Police about the success made in utilizing this platform for countering false propaganda, intelligence gathering and detection/prevention of crimes.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the misuse of social media has increased rapidly during the past few years and this platform is being preferred by the anti-national and anti-social elements for spreading hostile narratives and for fueling animosity and violence.
Moreover, the social media platforms are posing severe threat to cyber security as increased sharing of personal information on this platform by the users is leading to privacy breaches by those who are using social media for their illegal activities.
Keeping all these aspects in mind, it was recommended during last year’s DGPs/IGPs conference that police and other agencies should use social media to counter hate speeches and hostile narratives, sources said, adding even it was suggested that police should also infiltrate into social media platforms for getting advance intelligence for use in post incident investigation and during legal proceedings.
Now, the Ministry of Home Affairs has dashed a communication to the Jammu and Kashmir Police to submit information about the number of cases where hate speeches and hostile narratives were countered using social media platforms, sources informed, adding “the Ministry also wants to know the number of cases where social media platforms were infiltrated by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for gathering advance intelligence”.
During the conference, it was also recommended that social media should be harnessed to create awareness about cyber security in local languages and police forces should have regular interaction with experts and hold awareness programmes at police station level.
On this aspect, the MHA has sought information via-a-vis number of interactions held with experts of cyber security, number of awareness programmes on cyber security held at police station level and whether content in local languages have been posted on social media platforms to spread awareness about cyber security. “No doubt certain programmes are held after regular intervals but not at the level of all police stations in utter disregard to the recommendations made during the last year’s conference”, sources informed.
Further, the Ministry has sought action taken report on the recommendation pertaining to holding of interaction with Delhi Police and Tamil Nadu Police for gaining knowledge on the use of social media for maintenance of public order and investigation of cases based on the experiences gained during the anti-CAA protests in Delhi and “Jallikattu” agitation in Tamil Nadu, sources disclosed.
“Information has also been sought about success made in creating and disseminating short video clips on best practices in policing among the masses through social media and community liaison meetings”, sources said, adding ”the Jammu and Kashmir Police has further been directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to reveal the progress made on modernization of policing by adopting new technological tools and engagement with start-ups and private enterprises to find technological solution to the policing problems”.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has desired to know whether the Jammu and Kashmir Police has developed appropriate work culture and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) including changes in the training to ensure that implementation of laws is handled in careful and sensitive manner, sources informed, adding “moreover, J&K Police has been asked to reveal whether the training of police men has been modified along the lines of comprehensive training module launched by Government of India for the officers in the Central Government”.
J&K Police is further under direction to inform the Ministry of Home Affairs about whether the senior police officers like Additional Director Generals of Police, Inspector Generals of Police, Deputy Inspector Generals of Police and Superintendents of Police are imparting training to subordinate officers for at least 100 hours every year on the matter of new laws and challenges.
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