Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, SEP 22 (NPN): Press Information Bureau (PIB), Kohima on Tuesday organised a media workshop “Vartalap” on cyber security, defamation and journalistic responsibilities at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, under the theme “Cyber Suraksha Bharat: Legal Perspective on Defamation & Journalistic Responsibilities.”
The workshop brought together media persons, police and legal experts to deliberate on emerging challenges in the digital media environment.
Addressing the programme as guest of honour, Dimapur Press Club president Henlly Phom Odyuo said cyber crime was no longer confined to the police but had become a social concern in Nagaland. She noted that journalists often encountered cases of online fraud and cyber crime, and faced the challenge of reporting such matters without compromising investigations or exposing themselves to legal complications. Odyuo stressed the need to distinguish between reporting, opinion and defamation in the age of instant news and social media, while calling for streamlined dissemination of information and adherence to journalistic ethics.
Delivering the keynote on “A Legal Perspective on Defamation & Journalistic Responsibilities,” Public Prosecutor Temsunaro Jamir explained the legal aspects of defamation under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), corresponding to Section 500 of the IPC. She said defamation could have civil and criminal dimensions, with civil proceedings seeking compensation and criminal proceedings involving penal consequences. Jamir highlighted truth and public good, fair opinion and privilege as key considerations, while emphasising fact verification, accuracy, fairness, impartiality, editorial independence and accountability in journalism.
Officer in Charge, Cyber Crime Police Station, PHQ, Kihika Chishi, presented an overview of cyber crime in Nagaland. He categorised cyber crimes into offences against individuals, government and property, citing cheating, impersonation, financial fraud, hacking and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Chishi explained common methods such as smishing, phishing and vishing, and cautioned against investment scams promising unrealistic returns.
He noted that fraudsters often impersonated officials to create fear and manipulate victims, while social engineering and fake social media profiles were used to exploit trust and obtain sensitive information.
Chishi said financial gain remained the primary motive behind most cyber crimes, with anonymity and scalability of digital platforms enabling perpetrators to target thousands simultaneously. He added that organised networks involving specialists worked together to execute large scale fraud.
The workshop also featured an interactive session with media representatives on cyber crime, legal safeguards and journalistic challenges.
The programme began with opening remarks by Andrew Lalchhandama, IIS, M&CO, PIB Kohima, while the vote of thanks was delivered by P. Sophie, IIS, HoO, PIB Kohima.