Updated 15 Feb, 2012, 6:16 pm IST

Mumbai Police Launch Cyber Safety Initiative

30 Dec, 2006, 4:00 pm IST | Priyanka Pradhan |

The Mumbai Police has announced the launch of its fourth, annual 'Cyber Safety Week', from 29th December 06, to 4th January, 2007. The program, now renamed 'Cyber Safety Initiative', is undertaken in association with National Association of Software and services Companies (NASSCOM), to spread awareness about cybercrime, among the youth in Mumbai.

Commissioner of Police, A.N Roy said that the initiative has changed its outlook this year, because the Mumbai police will now spread out its awareness program throughout the year, instead of one intensive week. This time, the cyber safety initiative will involve major IT companies, the police force, as well as the general public, in various forms. Over 50 IT companies are involved with the Cyber crime Initiative, at this point.

The three pronged program involves awareness program in housing societies, training programs and e-learning initiatives for the police as well as co operation from software companies, to equip the Police with technology and know-how, to combat the menace. The police Mumbai police will also issue public messages in cinema halls, to highlight the ‘Do’s and Don’ts in order to fight cyber crime. The first housing society, chosen for the awareness program is Godrej Park, Napean Sea Road.

Another related program is the e-panchayat initiative, designed to bring together, Chief Technology Officers (CTO) of IT companies and the police, for a volley of problems and solutions of cyber crime. Also, the commissioner revealed that Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) will offer a course in cybercrime and electronic money laundering, for Mumbai police officials.

About the growing menace of cybercrimes, fostered by social network sites such as Orkut, AN Roy said, "Google is one of the companies involved with our cyber crime initiative. Keeping in mind, the recent controversy about Orkut, we have requested the company to build specialized filters to avoid objectionable material on their site. As of now, the police can’t do anything about the kind of content that goes up there, but once we get reports of abuse, we ask them to immediately remove the objectionable content. Google on its part, has been very co operative has responded immediately, until now. We hope other companies sites like this also co operate in the same way."

Tags: Mumbai police , Google , Orkut , Cyber Safety Initiative , Cyber safety week , NASSCOM , email , e- transactions , e- commerce , NMIMS