Safer Internet Day: CERT-In and Koo App promote cybersecurity awareness

Cyber crime is rampant and hundreds of thousands of people are affected on a daily basis by some kind of fraud or the other. In 2022, India saw over 13 lakh cyberattack incidents, making cybersecurity a key concern of all sectors. However, it need not be so. All it needs is to adopt a safer way to surf the Internet.

Raising awareness about this are the Government of India and messaging app Koo. In a joint effort to promote online safety, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Government of India, and Koo have come together to raise awareness about cybersecurity attacks, frauds, and crimes on the occasion of Safer Internet Day observed every year on the first Tuesday in February 2023. The collaboration efforts will help to sensitize internet users about safe online practices through posting infographics, videos, and awareness campaigns on the @KooPolicy, @KooForGood and @IndianCERT official social media handles.

Koo, a micro-blogging platform had previously joined forces with CERT-In during the National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October 2022 to educate and train over 4,000 young people from colleges across India on cyber security best practices.

Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In, said, "Cybersecurity is one of the three focus areas of the Digital Economy Working Group during India's G20 Presidency, and as part of the Presidency, the Hon'ble Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications, and Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, has launched the "Stay Safe Online" campaign. With the exponential increase in the number of internet users in India, it is crucial to raise awareness regarding cyber hygiene among citizens and for them to stay safe in the online world. In this journey of inclusiveness and the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Koo is a natural partner to reach out to citizens in their local language for this awareness.”

Aprameya Radhakrishna, Co-founder & CEO of Koo, said, "We believe that every individual should have the right to express their thoughts without having to worry about cyber threats, and we are committed to our efforts towards a more responsible and secure online community."

On Safer Internet Day, Koo is taking the lead in curbing cyber attacks by driving awareness through education.