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

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

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