Beware Of Malware Masquerading As Poll Material
An Election Awareness Video was launched on Friday as part of the proactive initiative to sensitize citizens on identifying, verifying and reporting suspicious online content by Sandeep Mittal, Director General of Police, Cyber Crime Wing in the presence of SPs, Shahnaz and Meenakshi.
Chennai: Intensifying its proactive measures to ensure safe, secure and misinformation-free digital environment during the elections, the State Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) warned the people of possible cyber threats such as phishing links and disinformation campaigns and send out the message, “Think Before You Click Any Election Message.”
An Election Awareness Video was launched on Friday as part of the proactive initiative to sensitize citizens on identifying, verifying and reporting suspicious online content by Sandeep Mittal, Director General of Police, Cyber Crime Wing in the presence of SPs, Shahnaz and Meenakshi.
Also the impactful “Think Before You Click Any Election Message” awareness posters and a dedicated public outreach campaign was launched by Srutanjay Narayanan, Joint Chief Electoral Officer, in collaboration with CCW and HDFC Bank.
The posters are designed to caution citizens against clicking on unknown or malicious links, especially those masquerading as election-related updates, rewards and urgent alerts with the campaign enlightening the public on available reporting mechanisms and helpline services, besides guiding the public on accessing authentic sources for election-related information.
In addition, the CCW has strengthened Cyber Patrolling and Intelligence mechanisms by setting up a dedicated Election Cell at its headquarters to detect and curb the spread of misinformation, hate speech and other unlawful online activities related to elections.
Dedicated teams were actively working round-the-clock to identify and take prompt action against offenders as the initiative underscored that maintaining the integrity of the electoral process was a shared responsibility between law enforcement and the public, officials said.
Through this dual initiative of video outreach and poster campaigns, the CCW seeks to empower citizens with the knowledge and tools required to safeguard themselves against cyber threats and also ensure the integrity of the democratic process.
Mittal has cautioned the public through the following advisories: Always cross-check election-related news and updates through official sources of the Election Commission in www.elections.tn.gov.in and https://voters.eci.gov.in/
He also exhorted the public to immediately report fake news, misinformation, deep fakes or any unlawful content at National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by dialling 1930 and to exercise caution before clicking on links related to elections, especially those received via SMS, email, WhatsApp or social media from unknown sources.
Among the ‘don’ts’ are to avoid forwarding messages, videos, or posts without confirming their authenticity, be cautious of emotionally provocative or sensational posts intended to mislead or manipulate public opinion.
Sharing or creating fake news, morphed images, or misleading videos and posting or participating in content that may incite hatred, violence or disturb public harmony were punishable offences, he said
