BHUBANESWAR: In the run up to general elections, Odisha Police’s social media monitoring cell has blocked 292 offensive posts. The content was posted by supporters of various political parties on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.
The social media cell sent 289 requests to Facebook to take down/remove offensive content. Of them, 181 posts have already been taken down/removed by Meta, which owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and others. The cell had sent 190 requests to Meta to take down/remove offensive content posted on Instagram. Around 110 posts have been taken down/removed from the photo and video sharing social networking platform.
Similarly, the social media cell had approached YouTube urging to take down three contents. One of them has already been taken down/removed by Google.
Sources said more than 275 handles on various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Reddit and others are under the surveillance of Odisha Police’s social media cell and action will be initiated against those violating the law. Police have registered two cases since March 16 and arrested one person while another was served a notice under section 41-A of CrPC.
The state government has designated CID-CB ADG, Arun Bothra, as the nodal/designated officer to issue take down notices to appropriate intermediary if any online content violates the law or any act. The social media unit of CID-CB is in direct contact with nodal officers of different social media platforms to quickly remove objectionable posts. Various open-source intelligence tools are being used by the police to effectively monitor the social media platforms during elections, sources said.
On the orders of Election Commission of India (ECI), a special cell was set up in CID-CB to monitor social media platforms. CID-CB IG Shefeen Ahamed has been designated as the nodal officer of the social media monitoring cell for general elections-2024.
Besides, cyber help desks and social media cells have been established in all police districts. A detailed plan/ SOP was prepared and circulated among all district SPs to monitor social media platforms and take action against anyone found to be violating the rules under their respective jurisdictions.
Social menace
Police’s social media cell sent
289 requests to Facebook to take down/remove offensive content
The cell had approached YouTube urging to take down three contents
Over 275 handles under surveillance of Odisha Police’s social media cellI