Participants during a district-level Safer Internet Day awareness programme held at the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Kohima, on February 10. (DIPR Photo)
Kohima, February 10 (MExN):Amid rising cyber fraud, misinformation and misuse of artificial intelligence (AI), the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Kohima, on Tuesday cautioned the public on growing cyber threats while promoting safe, responsible and informed use of digital technologies during a district-level Safer Internet Day awareness programme.
Welcoming the participants at the programme held at the DC’s Conference Hall, Kohima, under the theme “Smart Tech, Safe Choices – Exploring Safe and Responsible Use of AI, District Informatics Officer, NIC Kohima District Centre, Temsunaro highlighted the increasing number of cyber fraud cases.
Scammers often exploit fear, greed and lack of awareness, she said, adding that campaign aimed to promote safe, smart and responsible use of the internet and digital technologies.
A detailed presentation was delivered by Sozenlo Tep, Network Field Engineer, NIC, who explained that Safer Internet Day seeks to sensitise users on cyber hygiene, safe internet and AI use, and common cyber threats and their mitigation.
He informed that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is observing a nationwide awareness campaign on February 10, 2026, under the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project, in collaboration with NIC and other agencies.
Participants were briefed on major cyber threats, including phishing, OTP and UPI fraud, fake customer care scams, malware and spyware attacks, remote access scams, deepfake and AI voice frauds, social media account hacking, online shopping scams and so on.
Further dwelling on “digital arrest scams,” Tep stressed that no government agency arrests or investigates individuals through video or voice calls or demands money online and urged participants to verify information and avoid panic before taking action.
The session also highlighted the positive applications of AI in healthcare, education, safety, efficiency, environmental monitoring and digital services, while flagging misuse, privacy violations, misinformation and bias.
Participants were advised to fact-check AI-generated content and share information responsibly.
Earlier, addressing the gathering, Extra Assistant Commissioner Kohima, Imtiyenla K said the day is observed globally on the second Tuesday of February to encourage safer and more responsible online practices.
While the internet has become an indispensable tool for communication, education, healthcare and entrepreneurship, she cautioned that it also exposes users to cyberbullying, misinformation, deepfakes and online fraud.
She stressed that digital illiteracy remains a major challenge and underlined the need for proper training and responsible use of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in everyday life.
The programme concluded with information on reporting cybercrime through the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal cybercrime.gov.in, or at the nearest police station, the State DIPR reported.
