The Bilaspur district administration on Thursday stated it will soon issue detailed guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen cybersecurity for adolescents in the district.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the District-Level Committee on Cybersecurity. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar.
Kumar said this step will make Bilaspur the first district in the country to create a structured and institutionalised cybersecurity framework focused specifically on protecting adolescents.
Speaking at the meeting, the deputy commissioner said, “With the use of digital media increasing rapidly, adolescents are being affected the most. While opportunities have expanded, the digital space also poses serious challenges such as online grooming, cyberbullying, fake profiles, identity theft, gaming addiction and cyber fraud. Consequently, there is a need for a clear, effective and actionable SOP at the district level.”
The draft guidelines and SOP will be formally released at the state-level Nalwari Fair in March. He said the framework will help establish proper cybersecurity protocols in schools, colleges, industrial training institutes and other educational institutions across the district.
Kumar added that a reporting system will be developed to enable teachers to flag suspicious online activities. Counselling services and psychosocial support mechanisms will also be strengthened. The administration will also prepare digital parenting guidelines to help families monitor their children’s online activities in a responsible and positive manner.
The discussion was organised by the Bilaspur branch of the Indian Red Cross Society in collaboration with the New Delhi-based Matri Sudha Charitable Trust.
Technical support for the initiative is being provided by Arvind Singh, Director of Matri Sudha and co-founder of Cyber Chakravyuh, a group working on child and women safety, digital security and social empowerment.
The District Red Cross Society has been appointed as the nodal agency for the initiative. It will coordinate with various departments and oversee the implementation process.
It was also decided that a dedicated committee, headed by the deputy commissioner, will be formed to prepare the final cybersecurity guidelines and SOP. The committee will include representatives from the education department, police department, women and child development department, social justice and empowerment department, IT experts and child protection units. Kumar said the initiative will go beyond awareness campaigns and will be institutionalised to ensure lasting impact.
"Digital safety of adolescents is a priority for the administration, and requires the collective participation of the administration, police, teachers, parents and all sections of society," he said.
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