Curb misuse of social media, says Rajnath

Curb misuse of social media, says Rajnath

Context

Social media posed a serious challenge to law enforcement agencies and the areas of concern included terrorism, financial frauds and victimisation of women and children, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said

Occasion

Two-day Asia-Pacific regional conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)

What are the challenges posed by social media to policing?

The three main issues are

• Law and order
• Cybercrimes, like fake and imitating accounts, financial frauds [Nigerian 419 frauds], malware delivery, drug and other illegal article sales, victimisation of women and children
• Terrorism

Past examples of misuse of social media

• In 2012, the exodus of North East people from south took place allegedly due to a misinformation campaign through Internet and social media
• During the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, the government had said that social media was used extensively by anti-social elements to spread hatred and misinformation among communities