Kharge prioritizing safety of citizens in digital ecosystem
Stockholm-headquartered Truecaller will carry out a series of initiatives to create awareness and build the capacity of citizens across Karnataka to navigate the internet safely, and protect themselves from online harms, especially phone-based frauds and scams.
The leading global communications and Caller ID platform is collaborating with Karnataka’s Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeIT) to combat the growing incidents of cybercrime, impersonation and fraud as well as promote user safety in digital communication.
Forged in the presence of Priyank Kharge, Minister for Information Technology & Bio Technology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj on the advent of Safer Internet Day, this initiative aims to empower citizens’ cyber safety awareness and skills.
Speaking on the collaboration, Kharge said on 5 Feb 2024, “This partnership underscores the Government of Karnataka’s commitment to prioritizing the safety of our citizens in the digital ecosystem.
“Cybercrimes and fraud in digital communication are growing at a rapid pace with advancing technology thus exposing vulnerable citizens to high risk.
“The Government is taking proactive steps to increase awareness and promote safety in digital communications. Bengaluru is synonymous with innovation and is recognized as a thriving tech hub. We take pride in adopting a collaborative approach to enhancing citizen’s online safety here,” the Minister said.
Truecaller Chief Product Officer and Managing Director, India, Rishit Jhunjhunwala, elaborated, “We are consistently working towards improving fraud prevention and are confident that this collaboration will assist citizens of Karnataka in staying one step ahead of fraudsters.
“We are delighted to collaborate with the Government of Karnataka to enhance digital safety in communication, empowering citizens to make the most of opportunities available to them in the digital world.
“Over the past year, our Government Directory Services feature has assisted over 31.2 million users in identifying verified calls from spam and fraud, while also helping them easily access helplines and key government numbers on the platform.”
To date, Truecaller has conducted cyber safety training for over 1.6 million citizens in collaboration with Delhi Police, Assam Police, state governments of Delhi, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.
Truecaller, Nasdaq Stockholm listed, is an essential part of everyday communication for over 368 million active users, with more than a billion downloads since launch. Fiinews.com
