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Indian authorities are tracking social media users in Kashmir through mass-surveillance tactics. The pandemic is further emboldening the police state. @HakeemIrfan reports.
https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cyber-police-surveillance-aiding-fight-against-covid-19-outbreak-in-kashmir/amp_articleshow/75155188.cms
https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cyber-police-surveillance-aiding-fight-against-covid-19-outbreak-in-kashmir/amp_articleshow/75155188.cms
While previously, the authorities have been reportedly tapping a 'million phones,' in 2014. It has since also upgraded its surveillance tactics through the use of technology https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-soldier-as-state-actor/article6608758.ece
In a 2015 report, the authorities were conducting demographic, psychographic profiling of Kashmiris. The survey also recorded 'mental status, political orientation and level of indoctrination' http://risingkashmir.in/news/big-brother-is-watching-you/
There's also a human intelligence network which are on the 'payrolls' of the Indian state. https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/days-in-srinagar/266544
Owners of various business establishments were told to 'install the CCTV cameras within a fortnight' in 2013. This in addition to other surveillance cameras which were 'more than 40" in Srinagar alone in 2015 https://caravanmagazine.in/vantage/how-indian-surveillance-disrupts-ordinary-life-and-lives-kashmir
Journalist and activists continue to be called to police stations to discuss their stories and sources. In fact one journalist was asked to define Malcolm X's 'House Negro' argument on Kashmir https://caravanmagazine.in/media/unlawful-crackdown-on-media-kashmir
Add to that, the platforms like @Twitter @Facebook enable the authoritarian tactics against activists and journalists in Kashmir by either suspending accounts or aiding state backed censorship https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/twitter-a-willing-partner-in-india-s-quest-to-silence-kashmiris-10298
While censoring the employees in the government, the authorities in 2017 created 'social media cells' to 'reach out to the people.' http://risingkashmir.com/news/after-gag-govt-orders-creation-of-social-media-cells
There are also hundreds of fake propaganda account which impersonate Kashmiris and are used to push the statist discourses on Twitter and other social media platforms.
Unrelated, In 2019, Indian Army started an 'information warfare branch.' https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/defence-ministry-approves-information-warfare-branch-for-indian-army/articleshow/68329797.cms?from=mdr
Unrelated, In 2019, Indian Army started an 'information warfare branch.' https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/defence-ministry-approves-information-warfare-branch-for-indian-army/articleshow/68329797.cms?from=mdr
Not to forget, there's an estimated 130,000 strong force in Kashmir's police grid. It's bigger than the size of armies in many countries around the world. https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/spos-the-dark-underbelly-of-india-s-security-system-in-kashmir-20918
“Freedom is when one hears the bell at seven o’clock in the morning and knows it is the milkman and not the Gestapo.”
― Lucas Saul, Gestapo: Hitler's Secret Terror Police
― Lucas Saul, Gestapo: Hitler's Secret Terror Police
After receiving 'information through reliable sources' a journalist has been booked under a draconian law. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kashmir-photojournalist-uapa-anti-national-posts-6370631/
