The Telangana government is planning to initiate ‘history sheets’ against individuals it identifies as ‘habitual social media offenders.’ This controversial move aims to closely monitor and ‘manage’ their online activities, raising alarms about privacy and civil liberties.
According to internal communications from the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, these social media offenders are being grouped together with cyber criminals. This classification allows for broad instructions to place them under surveillance through the creation and maintenance of ‘suspect sheets,’ effectively blurring the lines between legitimate critique and criminal behavior.
The directives state that individuals involved in cybercrime, even without a formal conviction, can be classified as ‘suspects,’ granting law enforcement agencies the authority to monitor their actions. This expansive definition of ‘suspects’ extends beyond members of criminal gangs and organized syndicates to include those considered ‘addicted’ to crime, a term many critics find alarmingly vague.
Already, 69 history sheets have been opened against cyber criminals under these new provisions. Furthermore, a training camp was held in April to provide practical instruction on ‘investigation into social media related cases,’ indicating a proactive approach to this new policy.
While proponents attempt to justify this policy by citing the rise in cybercrimes and financial fraud, Manne Krishank, the BRS social media in-charge, argues that the ambiguous term ‘social media offenders’ suggests potential political targeting and a broader intent for vendetta against critics.
Interestingly, Mr. Krishank, along with fellow social media in-charge Konatham Dileep, is currently facing criminal charges. These charges reportedly stem from their alleged involvement in posting AI-generated videos on social media concerning the Kancha Gachibowli land auction issue, which adds another layer of controversy to the government’s current stance.
“I have received credible information indicating that this initiative is specifically designed to harass us under the guise of social media offenses,” stated Mr. Krishank. He emphatically emphasized that such actions are fundamentally opposed to democratic values and the vital principles of free speech.