Odisha Police Blocks 292 Offensive Social Media Posts

Bhubaneswar: The Social Media monitoring cell of the Odisha Police has taken swift action to block 292 offensive posts related to the General Elections 2024. These posts, originating from supporters of various political parties and other groups, were identified and removed from platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).

In response to directives from the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer of Odisha, a dedicated social media monitoring cell has been established within the CID-CB. Under the leadership of the IG of Police, CID-CB, this cell is tasked with ensuring the integrity and fairness of the electoral process by monitoring social media activity for abusive or hate-filled content.

The specialized team at the Cyber Complex, CID-CB Bhubaneswar, consists of highly trained personnel equipped to patrol social media platforms and take swift action against objectionable content. This unit has been proactive in identifying and reporting offensive posts, resulting in the removal of 289 posts from Facebook, 190 from Instagram, and 3 from YouTube. Additionally, over 275 social media handles are currently under surveillance.

To enforce legal compliance, two FIRs have been registered, leading to one arrest and one individual being issued a notice under Section 41-A Cr.P.C. Furthermore, the Odisha government has designated the Addl. DG of Police, CID CB, as the Nodal Officer for issuing takedown notices to intermediaries in case of content violations, in accordance with IT Act 2000 and IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.

District Cyber Help Desks and District Social Media Cells have been established across all police districts to handle complaints at the local level. These units work in coordination with the State Level Social Media Unit at the Cyber Crime Unit, CID CB, ensuring a comprehensive approach to social media monitoring.

A robust Social Media Plan/SOP has been circulated to all District SPs for effective monitoring within their jurisdictions, demonstrating the Odisha Police’s commitment to maintaining a safe and secure online environment during the electoral process.