Kolkata: The cyber world's dangers are not just limited to financial losses or the threat of losing reputation. It also leaves a mark on one's mind that can have a lasting psychological impact, and the cops want to warn citizens about both.
Kolkata Police are now reaching out to their target audience, starting from school or college students to senior citizens, based on a compulsory seven-segment module. This will cover not just the financial aspect of these crimes, but also the overall dangers of AI, Meta, SIM-swap, and cyber frauds like digital arrest, hotel booking fraud, and investment fraud.
The police are now also getting calls from corporates to hold similar sessions for their employees. Keeping this in mind, certain cyber units were asked to customise presentations on cyber hygiene and awareness for this segment.
"For the first time, we are not confining our awareness campaigns for college students to digital arrest frauds, crypto frauds, or fake hotel bookings. We are introducing concepts like the dangers of the Metaverse in our interactions," said an officer.
"Meta-verse is a new product of Meta. VR hangovers are a known phenomenon, and people can also experience post-VR sadness. When we experience an amazingly immersive world and come back into the real world, it can make us depressed and sad, and the more incredible our immersive experiences become, the more people will struggle with this," said an officer. "Many people play violent games in VR. In a game, if you are shooting a gun or strangling a person, I believe there is a real risk that people will become more likely to replicate that behaviour in the real world," he added.
"We are not against any technology, but safety is required," said sergeant Suvankar Chakraborty, who heads the South Division cyber cell. He also insisted that "sharenting", the manner in which parents share too many details of their children on social media, can affect a minor's future and is now a part of his course on awareness building.