NEW DELHI: In view of rising cases of online fraud and cyber crimes, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken several big initiatives to spread awareness among the common people on the prevention of cyber crime.
The Home Ministry has also launched a dedicated Twitter handle @CyberDost to spread awareness among people about cyber crimes and what normal precautions they should take to avoid them.
This Twitter handle is aimed at enhancing people’s basic knowledge about cybercrimes and precautions to be taken for prevention. Through the Twitter handle, the MHA has tweeted over 1066 cyber safety tips through short videos, images and creatives. Besides this, the MHA also undertook radio campaigns for the prevention of cyber crime. The Home Ministry also sent more than 100 crore SMSes on creating awareness about the prevention of cyber crime.
@CyberDost Twitter handle, which aims to educate people, has more than 3.64 lakh followers. Additionally, the MHA handle also regularly creates videos/GIFs giving cyber crime and cyber safety tips through various platforms like:-
Twitter - https://twitter.com/Cyberdost
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CyberDost/4C
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cyberdosti4c
Telegram - https://t.me/cyberdosti4c
Here are some of the big steps taken by MHA for spreading awareness on the prevention of cyber crime:
- MyGov has been engaged by the I4C for publicity on the topic of prevention of cyber crimes through multiple mediums.
- Published 'Handbook for adolescents/students on cyber safety'.
- Published 'Information Security Best practices' for the benefit of Government Officials.
- Organized Cyber Safety and Security Awareness weeks through the C-DAC in association with Police Department in different States.
-148 Cyber Crimes Advisories have been shared by the 14C with States/UTs, Ministries/Departments as a preventive measure.
- Issued alerts/advisories to States/UTs from time to time.
- Delhi Metro has been requested to publicize the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and National Toll-Free Helpline Number '1930*
-Two bilingual Manuals on "Cyber Hygiene for Cyber Space - Do's and Don'ts" (Basic and Advanced version) released in January 2022 to provide basic cyber hygiene regarding internet safety, email, mobile safety, etc.
- States/UTs have been requested by the MHA to organize "Cyber Jaagrookta Diwas" on the first Wednesday of every month at 11 am on cyber hygiene commencing from 6' October 2021 (Wednesday) onwards and launch a mass awareness campaign in vernacular languages for all schools/colleges. Also requested to prepare 'Annual Action Plan' in this regard.
- The Ministry of Education has been requested to commence Curriculum in cyber security and cyber hygiene from 6' to 12' standards for all the streams, so as to provide basic awareness to all students in schools for all CBSE schools at the Central/State/UT level.
- Quarterly Newsletter of I4C (1* and 2' Edition) was launched in January 2022 to share information to counter the menace of cybercrime with Law Enforcement Agencies and Policymakers. The Newsletter comprises of latest cybercrimes trends, cybercrime statistics, National/International developments relating to the prevention of cybercrimes, etc.
