AP CID to initiate stern action against indecent posts on social media platforms

Vijayawada: The AP CID would initiate stern action against those who post objectionable, disgraceful and indecent remarks on social media platforms targeting prominent persons in the society.

The CID’s additional director general N. Sanjay told the media here on Wednesday that it has become a common practice for some people to post such remarks, especially targeting the chief minister and his family members as also others in public life. “Such a practice is becoming more rampant in the wake the state going for polls in a few months’ time.”

The additional DG said that in order to control such illegal practices, “We were coming up with a series of steps and would  keep a close tab on such posts. We have set up special teams and a monitoring cell to do so.”

“We would organise summits in both Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam next week to come up with a set of guidelines for social media platforms. We would rope in the social media agencies also in this exercise in addition to mounting pressure on them to set up monitoring cells and a regulating mechanism.”

CID teams would keep a close tab on social media accounts in the UK and US too, he said.

Several such cases have been booked, including against those who made defamatory remarks against judges of the high court. He said that 1,450 objectionable postings in 2022 and 2,164 in 2023 were removed while 1,465 social media accounts were under close monitoring.

Some 31 objectionable  social media accounts, which were misused out of a list of 202 suspect accounts, were identified and 2,972 cyber bully sheets were opened. Proceedings for 45 Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and five Look Out Circulars have been issued.

Notably, AP has set up 90 fireworks manufacturing units, 323 permanent fireworks godowns and nearly 6,372 fireworks shops for the Diwali festival.

The government has advised the people to buy fireworks only from sellers with licence and avoid bursting of sound-emitting fireworks between 10 pm and 6 am.