Maharashtra cyber cell proposes removal of 22 accounts for propagating communal disharmony

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In wake of the recent incidents of communal clashes across India, the Maharashtra cyber cell has proposed to block 22 accounts on different social media for propagating communal disharmony. Of these 22 accounts, 20 are on Twitter, while Instagram and Facebook have one each.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Maharashtra Cyber Cell Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjay Shintre said on observing the current atmosphere (of the country), 48 police stations under the department are actively filtering out accounts that post objectionable and defamatory content.

"Maharashtra Cyber has sent a proposal to block 22 accounts. Many have been blocked too...In the wake of the atmosphere at present, we started looking for accounts propagating communal disharmony content..." he said. Shintre informed that several accounts on different social media belong to fake organisations and individuals who are using morphed photos, lots of editing and deep fake technology to spread communal disharmony.

Walking ANI through the process of removing accounts, the SP said, "We start with serving notices to intermediaries about the possibility of communal disharmony through such accounts. These intermediaries include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others. They act immediately by taking down such content and then deleting it."

In the past two years, as per Shintre, the Maharashtra Cyber cell has identified about 12,000 objectionable posts defaming dignitaries, of which 6,000 were deleted by intermediaries. "Although Maharashtra Cyber is active every day, in the last one month, considering the political developments, the cyber cell has been very proactive," he added.

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