Bhubaneswar: A special cell of Odisha Police has blocked at least 292 offensive posts from different social media platforms ahead of the General Elections 2024. The designated monitoring cell was earlier constituted on the orders of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

According to an official source, the offensive posts were related to General Elections 2024, which were posted by supporters of various political parties and other groups on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

The special cell has been created for social media monitoring in CID-CB. IG of Police, CID-CB has been designated as the nodal officer of this cell for the upcoming elections.

“A specialised team of the Social Media Unit is functioning at Cyber Complex, CID-CB in Bhubaneswar comprising a Deputy SP, an Inspector, a sub-inspector (SI), four assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) and two constables. This unit is continuously monitoring and doing cyber patrolling of social media, especially, the sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube for abusive and hate posts and taking steps to remove the pages/accounts for safe conduct of the upcoming elections,” a senior official said.

This cell also takes remedial and legal steps (viz. preservation of data and take down of content in respect of the fake and malicious posts that can affect a free and fair electoral process).

So far, in Facebook, 289 requests were sent for content take down and removal and 181 have already been taken down and removed by META.

Similarly, in Instagram, 190 requests were sent and 110 have been removed by META.

In YouTube, three requests were sent and one has been taken down by Google.

More than 275 handles across various social media platforms are under surveillance and action as per law would be taken against those violating the law.

“Two FIRs have been registered in the State since March 16, one person was arrested and another was issued with notice U/s 41-A of the CrPC,” the senior police official expressed.