Coimbatore city police form special cell to monitor social media

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore city police have formed a dedicated cell to monitor social media content, accounts and suspicious activities online.The dedicated team, comprising a sub-inspector and two police personnel, maintains round-the-clock surveillance on various platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. Posts that threaten law and order, spread rumours, promote hate speech or contain information linked to criminal activities are closely scrutinised.In addition to surveillance, the cell conducts awareness campaigns on cyber fraud, online safety, the protection of women and children and drug abuse prevention. Major police initiatives, details of arrests and important public safety guidelines are also being shared promptly through official social media handles.The cell closely tracks emerging digital trends, Internet usage patterns among youngsters and the online activities of individuals linked to criminal cases.Senior police officials said this initiative to strengthen the digital presence of law enforcement would go a long way in preventing crime, curbing the spread of misinformation and bridging the gap between the police and the public.