Maharashtra Cyber Cell issues advisory for WhatsApp users; lists consequences

In the thick of Coronavirus, Maharashtra Cyber Cell issued a brief advisory regarding the responsibilities every WhatsApp user and admin should take. This comes as there has been a lot of fake news, misinformation that is being circulated. Earlier in the day, The Maharashtra Cyber cell has registered a total of 113 FIRs against people spreading misinformation and rumours on social media related to Coronavirus and the lockdown.

The advisory stated that the admin of every group member is reliable and responsible enough to share only verified news. It further added the consequences for posting objectionable content will be punished under. 

Furthermore, it stated that the law enforcement agency will take stern action against perpetrators. The law enforcement agencies have power under law to take legal action against anyone who spreads rumours and causes a state of panic and unrest between religious communities in this state of crisis. Here is the full advisory-

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WhatsApp tightens sharing limits

In a bid to curb misinformation, WhatsApp on Tuesday announced that it has imposed a limit on the forwarding of messages on the app. From Wednesday, the messages that have been classified as frequently forwarded messages or sent over five times can now be forwarded to a single chat at a time. The move has been undertaken by the Facebook-owned messaging app to reduce the spread of fake information through the platform.

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Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra 

On the fourteenth day of the national lockdown on Tuesday Maharashtra reported a sharp spike by 150 in coronavirus positive cases, with Mumbai alone accounting for 116, taking the overall tally of the affected people in the state to 1018, Health officials said. Maharashtra thus became the first state in the country to report more than 1,000 coronavirus cases, he said. Simultaneously, the death toll due to COVID-19 rose by 12 to 64 across the state. Apart from Mumbai's 116 cases, new cases were reported from Pune (18), three each from Ahmednagar, Nagpur and Aurangabad, two each from Thane and Buldana, and one each from Satara, Ratnagiri and Sangli, said the Health Department official.

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