To keep a close watch on the activities of ‘habitual social media influencers’, Telangana government intends to open history sheets against them (The image is used for representative purposes only).
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The Telangana State government is intending to open history sheets against ‘habitual social media offenders’ so as to keep a close watch on their activities, and ‘manage’ them.An internal communication of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau clubbed the social media offenders with the cyber criminals, to pass blanket instructions placing them under surveillance by opening and maintaining suspect sheets. Individuals involved in cyber crime, even if not convicted, fall under the category of ‘suspects’ to enable the law enforcing agencies to monitor their activities, the directives say. Apart from members of criminal gangs and organised criminal syndicates, persons ‘addicted’ to crime too come under the definition of ‘suspects’.A training camp too was called for in April this year, to impart hands-on training on ‘investigation into social media related’ cases. While the move is sought to be justified given the proliferation of cyber crimes involving financial frauds, the term ‘social media offenders’ is ambiguous and reeks of intentions for political vendetta, argues the BRS social media in-charge Manne Krishank.Mr. Krishank together with another social media in-charge Konatham Dileep, is facing criminal charges under various sections allegedly for posting AI-generated videos on social media with regard to the Kancha Gachibowli land auction issue. “I have reliable tip-off that this move is directed to harass us in the name of social media offences. This is against democratic values and free speech,” Mr. Krishank said.Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher on law and cyber security, calls the directives a ‘clear case of abuse’. Historically, history sheets were applied for repeat offences of serious nature such as murders, thefts and disruption of law and order, he says. “Such profiling has always been done based on police discretion, not based on any law. Social media offences come under the IT Act, 2000 which does not have provisions to penalise individuals for social media posts. Directions may be given to censor the content, but anything beyond that becomes criminalisation of speech,” Mr. Kodali says.It has been reportedly a practice by the police to force the history sheeters especially in Old City to share their whereabouts through live locations during night, and also their activity on social media. The latest directives are but an extension of the same, Mr. Kodali feels. Published - September 25, 2025 01:03 pm IST
