21 December,2024 07:57 AM IST | Lucknow | Agencies
Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar
Uttar Pradesh Police have enlisted social media influencers and college students as "digital warriors" to strengthen its fight against cybercrime and combat fake news, an officer said on Saturday.
"The digital warriors (a network of social media influencers and college students) will raise awareness about cybercrime, counter misleading news, train ordinary citizens as cyber trainers, and publicise the commendable work and campaigns of the police," said Uttar Pradesh's Director General of Police, Prashant Kumar. Kumar cited a pilot project run by the UP Police ahead of the Maha Kumbh Mela to combat fake news.
This month-long project, which involved influencers and college students, was successful and has now been expanded statewide, he said. "UP Police launched the âDigital Warriors' initiative in 2018, which became active on WhatsApp. People from different sections of society were added as digital volunteers," Kumar explained.
"In 2023, âWhatsApp Community Groups' were created, adding all UP Police personnel, enabling them to refute fake news and publicise the commendable work of the police." He added that currently, about 10 lakh people are connected as digital volunteers, and around two lakh policemen are linked through community groups.
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"Owing to the limited access of these digital volunteers to WhatsApp and their limited activity on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter (now X), Facebook, YouTube, etc., there was a need to engage the younger generation of social media influencers and college/university students with the UP Police by making them âdigital warriors,'" Kumar said.
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