"I laud the formation of the Virtual Police to maintain security and order in the public digital space. However, I remind the police force to be mindful of the people's rights to state their opinion," Syamsuddin noted in Jakarta on Thursday. To this end, Syamsuddin urged the Police to tender an explanation of the urgency to form the Virtual Police and to extensively edify the public on its activities to proffer a sense of understanding among members of the public, thereby minimizing antipathy.
The Golkar Party politician is also optimistic that the police would adopt a humanist and persuasive approach while conducting its duties to remind people that commit mistakes in the digital space.
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Syamsuddin noted that the goal was for people to become more prudent in the use of social media and to not cross boundaries that can be unfavorable to themselves and others.
"If someone commits a mistake on social media, then the National Police must prioritize the warning properly and remind the person in charge of the account, so that the public understands it and will not repeat it," he emphasized.
The National Police's Criminal Investigation Directorate had earlier given 12 warnings to social media accounts that were suspected of spreading false information or hoax, as part of the Virtual Police pertaining to the handling of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE) cases.
"On February 24, 2021, 12 Virtual Police warnings were sent via DM (direct message) to social media accounts. We have already started (operating)," Director of Cyber Crime at the National Police Force, Brigadier General Slamet Uliandi, stated in Jakarta, Wednesday (Feb 24).
Uliandi expounded that the warning, given by the so-called Virtual Police, aligned with the Circular Letter (SE) of the National Police Chief, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, regarding the awareness of ethical culture in the digital world.
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Translator: Imam Budilaksono/Aria Cindyara
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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