HT Correspondent
KOHIMA, April 26: In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Nagaland Police has issued a public advisory alerting citizens about a coordinated effort by anti-national forces to spread misinformation and sow discord through social media.
The advisory issued by police headquarters here on Saturday underscored the increasing use of digital platforms by hostile elements to destabilise internal peace and provoke unrest in various parts of India, including Nagaland.
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According to inputs from reliable intelligence sources, there is credible evidence that these anti-social and anti-national groups are leveraging technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), to craft and disseminate false narratives to disturb communal harmony, fuel emotional unrest, and create a wedge between communities by manipulating public sentiment, it cautioned.
The police while providing a sample case of misinformation campaign on X by one ‘Sophia Naga’ highlighted how social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) are being misused to create such viral campaigns.
Many of these posts originate from accounts or handles based in Pakistan or operated by individuals working in tandem with hostile foreign agencies, it said, adding that these manipulated posts are often picked up and reshared by unsuspecting users, further amplifying the misinformation without them realising the origin or intent.
Authorities have also expressed concern about a potential surge in newly created fake accounts and handles in the coming days to spread and propagate emotional and anti-national sentiments and create disaffection among communities.
Requesting all citizens not to believe anything that they come across on social media without proper verification and due diligence, the police also asked them not to circulate or share any such content which has the potential to disturb the peaceable atmosphere in Nagaland.
“Such actions are not only bad for the society but also criminal offences punishable by law,” the police cautioned. PTI
