In order to generate awareness, Cyber Crime PS Darjeeling Police conducted an awareness session with the students of Darjeeling St. Joseph’s College.
Secure your online presence just like you secure yourself: If we have not selected the right settings on our social media accounts, then photos and videos posted by us can be viewed, downloaded and then used by others without our knowledge.
- Select the right privacy settings and content sharing filters on social media so that you are sharing your information, photos and videos only with your trusted ones.
- Be selective about accepting friend request of strangers on social media
- Learn how to block someone who is making you uncomfortable
- Learn how to remove someone from your friends list
- Remember to logout from social media websites after use
- Secure your phone with password
If you notice your fake account has been created, you can immediately inform social media service provider so that the account can be blocked
Be mindful of your appearance on video chat & video calls
Your video chats on social media sites can be recorded by the person on the other side
There have been instances where video chats which were supposed to be private in nature have been recorded and shared on social media groups and websites
Be careful while accepting chat requests from strangers
Do not use Smartphone for taking sensitive personal photographs and videos
Do not use Smartphone to take sensitive personal photographs and videos. Most of the smartphones are connected to internet and cloud storage. If a picture or video has been clicked by using Smartphone connected with the cloud, it may get saved automatically into the cloud. Even if users delete their photos or videos from their phone, the same photo or video can be recovered from the cloud account or any other device/ PC connected to the cloud using same account.
If someone known has taken such photograph of yours using Smartphone, then take it seriously and make sure to get it deleted from their Smartphone, the cloud and any other device connected using the same account.
Protect yourself from Cyber stalking: Cyber stalkers show advances on a person repeatedly despite clear indication of disinterest by such person. They use internet, email, social media or any other form of electronic communication for stalking
- Disable location services for social media sites, mobile devices etc.
- Refrain from sharing your personal information like Phone number, e-mail address, photographs with unknown persons
- Consult your relatives and friends, if you think you are a victim of Cyber stalking
Beware of fake social media accounts! Not all the accounts are real and not all information provided on accounts are true
Be cautious while accepting friend requests from strangers.
Be Cautious with Sensitive Browsing
You should browse shopping or banking websites or apps only on a device that belongs to you or on a network that you trust. Avoid using a friend’s phone, a public computer, or a cafe’s free Wi-Fi for sensitive browsing as your data can be stolen or copied.
The deleted data on your communication devices can be recovered
Be careful while you give your mobile devices, PC’s for servicing/repairing/selling: Personal commuters and mobile devices consists private information’s which needs to be erased before sending it for repairing, servicing or selling.
Protect your communication devices: Prevent others from accessing your devices by providing password, PIN, Pattern or biometric information. Always install applications to your mobile phones, computers, etc. from a trusted source only e.g. Play store, App store or from official company websites
Report if you find content related to of Child Pornography (CP)/Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or sexually explicit material
If you find any content related to of Child Pornography (CP)/ Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or sexually explicit material such as Rape/ Gang Rape (CP/RGR) content, you should report it to the concerned social media website
If anybody of your acquaintance shares Child Pornography (CP)/ Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or sexually explicit material with you, it is your duty as a responsible digital citizen to inform the concerned person that publication, collection and distribution of Child Pornography (CP)/ Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or sexually explicit material is illegal and he should refrain from doing such activities.
You can also report it on Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in)
Our, Reporter in Chief
R. Manoj Kumar Sharma
Siliguri City, West Bengal
