UP Police deploy 200,000 'digital volunteers' to counter fake news

Even as developers are still grappling with possible web tools to monitor and prevent fake news on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, Uttar Pradesh Police has raised a network of 200,000 'digital volunteers' to tackle the menace.

UP Police, touted as the world’s largest single command police force with headcount of nearly half-million, wants the total strength of these volunteers to cross 365,000 in the state.

In the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha poll, there is even greater urgency to weed out the spectre of fake news circulating on social media and rumours being spread by vested interests to disturb peace.

All the 1,465 police stations in UP have so far networked over 200,000 digital volunteers drawn from the civil society and comprising teachers, journalists, village heads, doctors, corporators, lawyers, traders, members of civil defence, religious groups etc.

On July 13, 2018, UP Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh had directed all the police stations to raise 250 digital volunteers each to check rumour mills and keep a tab on fake news floating on popular social media channels.

This decision was taken in the backdrop of cases coming to light across India, where fake news was circulated on social media platforms to incite people to violence and posing threat to law and order.

The police station officers (SO) have been asked to create dedicated WhatsApp groups so that the local police is able to communicate to the people directly for achieving the objective of maintaining law and order. These groups are monitored at the DGP headquarters and the digital volunteers are not paid any honorarium.

On October 4, 2018, the DGP had also issued a 17 point social media charter to cops, censuring their online activities, which could potentially earn disrepute to the force or be deemed indiscipline. The violation of these structures would be deemed against UP Government Servants Conduct Rules and attract punishment, ranging from a mere warning to dismissal.

Now, policemen have to issue a disclaimer on social media that the views expressed by them were their personal opinion and not representing the department. The cops have been barred from uploading photographs featuring their uniform/accessory or arms.

Besides, they are restrained from using abusive or derogatory language or uploading obscene images targetting fellow policemen, senior or subordinate. Besides, they are not supposed to upload information about the department without clearance by superiors or uploading posts regarding matters of national security.

The cops have been advised not to post comments on government, policies, programmes or politicians, critical or otherwise. In fact, the social media guidelines were already in place in the state and were first been issued in 2016 and reaffirmed in 2017. They have merely been revised to make them more contemporary.