Government to track social media 24x7 for jihadi posts, chats

NEW DELHI: As active propaganda on social media by terror outfits like Islamic State (IS) gives security agencies cause for worry, the home ministry is quietly working on the structure and operational capabilities of a proposed 24x7 social media monitoring centre.

TOI has learnt that the facility may not only carry out real-time tracking of terrorrelated posts and chats aimed at influencing net-savvy Muslim youths into supporting and joining jihad but also identify seditious posts for blocking and run counterpropaganda against misinterpretation of religion to justify violent extremism.

Sources in the home ministry said the draft proposal for the facility is being finalised in consultation with intelligence agencies and ministries like telecom, IT and in formation & broadcasting.The broad view, according to an official, is that not only Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, but phone chats and messaging services like Whatsapp, Trillian, Telegram and We Chat, too, should be tracked to block circulation of jihadi content.

An intelligence officer conceded that it may be a tricky proposition to block circulation of objectionable content on web-based messaging services given issues like privacy and location of their servers abroad. “Such technical issues are being ironed out in consultation with the IT ministry and experts. Also, we may take service providers into confidence and explore the option of making their cooperation mandatory by building it into their licensing conditions,“ said the officer.

It is proposed that the monitoring centre, under the home ministry, will be managed and run by public servants while also hiring experts on a contractual basis.

A key function of the centre would be to counter misleading online propaganda by jihadi outfits.