Srinagar: Around 1200 suspected social media accounts operating in Kashmir are under the radar of security agencies.
Kashmir has become a breeding ground for rumor mongering, fake news and orders amid COVID-19.
For the last few weeks, Cyber Police Kashmir has registered at least nine cases for uploading fake news, orders, and pictures.
“Misuse of social media has become a challenging task for the security agencies in Kashmir. “We have identified 1200 Facebook pages, Twitter and Instragram which are under our radar. Some may be operating from across the border. We are monitoring what kind of stuff they are sharing and will act accordingly,” one of the top officials here in the Cyber police told news agency KINS.
He said Cyber Police was also monitoring all the profiles and the content being shared by the users. “Some posts are to destabilize the social fabric and create law and order in the valley. We are closely monitoring the social media and take appropriate action accordingly,” he said.
SP Cyber police Tahir Ashraf also confirmed to KINS that suspected social media accounts were under radar. “Yes around 1000 to 1200 social media accounts are under radar,” he said.
However Tahir said that they were making people aware how to secure their social media accounts and what kind of stuff they should share.
“We also found there are certain users who misuse social media. They are quite young of their age and well in their studies. There is nothing against them in police records. We have contacted their parents and counsel them so they don’t misuse social media. We have already counseled over 25 youth so far,” he said.
He further told that there is a minimum punishment of three years for social media misuse. “There would be 15 years punishment and even life imprisonment for those who are glorifying militancy,” he said.
He appealed people they should abide the ethics and rule. “In today’s time, we are relying on social media. It is very important we should make its proper use. People should refrain from disseminating fake information which deteriorates mental health,” he added.
There are lots of reports about misusing of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram besides other by the miscreants who are using fake and anonymous names.
Recently, a fake news was uploaded on face book wherein a morphed picture of Lalchowk Gantaghar Srinagar has been shown with a flag of Pakistan administered Kashmir. Immediately the FIR was registered, accused were identified and arrested under the provisions of law.
During the recently monitoring and patrolling of Social Media platforms viz. Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, Whatsapp and linkedin, there has been instances where some of the users were found posting fake news, fake documents, incriminating / hateful posts.(KINS)