Maneka Gandhi sets up cyber cell to check internet trolling

New Delhi: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday said her ministry has set up a cyber cell to take on trolls that harass women and children.

“They threaten in various ways. Many married women are being threatened. Women are coming to us since many days. We will react to the complaint and we will see to it. We have made a cell in that we have put twitter, police and other elements,” Gandhi said.

“If complaint is done to me with proof then we will use police and the owner of the social media. We are not going to do any policing. No patrolling of the net will be done,” she added.

She held a meeting with a team of Twitter India led by Mahima Kaul, Head of Public Policy, Twitter India to discuss the issue of empowering women and children to deal with abuse, harassment and hateful conduct on social media especially on Twitter.

WCD Secretary Leena Nair and senior officials of the WCD Ministry were also present at the meeting held in New Delhi today.

The WCD Ministry had advised women and children to send their complaints if they are being abused or harassed on social media platforms. Ever since this message was sent out, the Ministry has been receiving a large number of complaints on this. The entire issue has been discussed in detail in light of the nature of complaints.

It was decided that the complaints received by the Ministry, which are of a grave nature, will be reported to Twitter India for necessary action. During the meeting, the Twitter team also highlighted that they have their own Grievance Redressal Mechanism which the affected persons should continue to use (https://support.twitter.com/forms/abusiveuser).

The Ministry will also be working with the cyber-crime Cells of the police authorities, wherever required in this regard. (ANI)