Q. Social media and encrypting messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What measures have been adopted at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other remedies to address the problem.
UPSC Mains 2024 GS3 Paper
Model Answer:
Social media and encrypted messaging services
Social media and encrypted messaging services pose significant security challenges, from facilitating terrorist communications to spreading misinformation. Various measures have been adopted to address these concerns:
Government Level:
• Legislation: India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 require platforms to trace the originator of messages, potentially compromising end-to-end encryption.
• Specialized Units: The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) was established in 2018 to handle cybercrime, including social media-related threats.
• International Cooperation: The Budapest Convention on Cybercrime facilitates cross-border collaboration in investigating online criminal activities.
Platform Level:
• Content Moderation: Facebook’s AI systems detect and remove 99.5% of terrorist-related content before users report it.
• Collaboration with Authorities: WhatsApp has implemented a system to ban accounts linked to terrorist organizations based on user reports and proactive detection.
• Transparency Reports: Twitter’s biannual reports detail account removals, government information requests, and content takedowns by country.
User Level:
• Digital Literacy Programs: India’s Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) aims to make 60 million rural households digitally literate.
• Awareness Campaigns: The #WebWonderWomen campaign by the Ministry of Women and Child Development promotes safe and responsible use of social media.
Additional remedies to consider:
• Enhanced Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration between CERT-In and social media giants to develop real-time threat intelligence sharing mechanisms.
• Balanced Encryption Standards: Implementing a key escrow system that allows lawful interception while maintaining user privacy in normal circumstances.
• Advanced Threat Detection: Developing AI models trained on region-specific data to better identify localized security risks and misinformation patterns.
• Mandatory Security Audits: Regular audits by bodies like the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) to ensure platforms comply with the Personal Data Protection Bill standards.
Conclusion: Effective social media security requires a nuanced approach balancing privacy, free speech, and national security, adaptable to evolving digital landscapes.
