What is the punishment for social media harassment?

Section 506 of the IPC provides that whoever commits, the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Can the police track your social media?

Monitoring public posts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is a common way police departments across the country collect information about individuals or specific types of activities.

How can the police use social media during investigations?

A 2013 report by the U.S. Department of Justice recommended police departments create strategies to monitor social media, track communications about protests, create an online alias to covertly obtain information. At the time, the DOJ acknowledged police commonly used social media for investigations.

Is it illegal to harass someone on social media?

Cyberstalking is often accompanied by realtime or offline stalking. In many jurisdictions, such as California, both are criminal offenses. Both are motivated by a desire to control, intimidate or influence a victim.

Does social media pose a threat to law enforcement?

However, for all these benefits, social media presents its own set of dangers for law enforcement agencies. All communications sent or received by government organizations — including police departments, sheriff’s offices, and their employees — are subject to open records requests.

Is it illegal for someone to post your picture on social media?

If you discover that someone posted either photos or videos of you or your family on a social media site without your permission, the first thing to know is that it is illegal. Keep in mind that every platform has a different privacy policy, so the individual that posts may think they did nothing wrong.

Should your police department have a social media presence?

When used properly, a social media presence can pay dividends for police departments. The Mountain View Police Department in the heart of Silicon Valley has been at the forefront of social media relations with the public. The MVPD routinely engages with citizens in an effort to promote transparency.

How can social media help in a criminal investigation?

Small clues can be a potential gold mine of information for police investigations. Although social media networks can certainly be helpful in a criminal investigation, they’re also beneficial to police departments wanting to connect with the public. A social media presence is essentially mandatory for today’s police departments.