TN police set up cyber wings in 37 districts to curb spread of misinformation

The Tamil Nadu police on Monday, September 5, announced that cyber wings have been set up in 37 districts of the state, including Chennai, to “curb the spread of rumours” that “create social unrest” on social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others. In a press statement, the police said that the cyber wings have been set up to “keenly observe” people on these sites who publish and share information that leads to riots, fights and chaos in various parts of the state.

These wings are also set up to prevent online sexual harassment, sale of drugs and online financial fraud and catch those who indulge in these crimes. These cyber wings have a total of 203 police officers. Police officers with knowledge of cyberspace and experience in tracking people over the internet have been appointed to be a part of them, the statement added. These wings will be headed by the Superintendent of Police of the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Division.

The press release added that the cyber wings have been equipped to identify “hateful and toxic” content that can incite violence and cause social unrest and track them. The officers belonging to these wings will also ensure that the accounts that share such content will be permanently suspended. The officers from the cyber wing will also help citizens register cyber crime complaints.

The press release also claimed that the setting up of these wings and the action taken by them will help reduce caste, religious and political conflicts in the state, as misinformation is spread on social media platforms, causing tension.

The Tamil Nadu government has planned to establish cyber labs in Chennai and Coimbatore aside from Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, and Vellore in 2019. These labs will be set up in the Tamil Nadu Police Academy, Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Coimbatore, Madurai, Chennai and the Crime Branch-CID.