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Mixcollage 21 Dec 2024 03 38 Pm

Preparations for the grand Kumbh Mela are underway in Prayagraj. In this episode, the UP Police has launched a unique initiative to deal with the growing threat of fake news and cybercrime in the state. The aim of this campaign is to train school, college and university students to identify fake news and cyber threats and counter them effectively. Speaking to news agency ANI, Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said, ‘Since 2018, the police have been engaging digital volunteers and with the addition of community features on WhatsApp in 2023, the reach of these volunteers has increased even more.’

What did UP DGP say on digital volunteers?

He said, ‘At that time, more than 10 lakh digital volunteers were tasked to stay connected with local police stations and provide information about small incidents happening at the village or neighborhood level. This helped the police to get real-time information and send response teams to resolve issues before they escalate. ‘ He informed that currently about 10 lakh people are working as digital volunteers, while about 2 lakh policemen are part of these community groups.

The name of digital volunteers will be changed

The DGP further said that with the passage of time it became evident that the reach of social media has gone beyond WhatsApp and cyber crime is evolving. In response to these challenges, it has been decided to rename the existing digital volunteers as “Digital Warriors”. Efforts will be made to encourage people from schools and colleges to join this initiative through workshops and registration through Google Form, where their contact numbers will be collected. In view of the challenges, it has been decided to rename the existing digital volunteers as “Digital Warriors”. Besides, “The police is working towards setting up “Cyber ​​Clubs” in schools and colleges. These clubs will be headed by digital warriors who will conduct workshops to explore new ways to assist the police, prevent cyber crimes and raise social awareness.