J&K Cyber police issues advisory to counter morphed obscene videos on social media

In response to concerns related to morphed obscene videos being circulated online, the cyber wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police, on Wednesday, released an advisory instructing people not to engage with strangers online.

"Accepting random friend requests, video call on Facebook or WhatsApp from strangers can land you in trouble. Blackmailers have devised a modus operandi to befriend people online and later get their photos and videos through a video call and morph these on pornographic photos and videos," cyber police J&K tweeted.

"These blackmailers lure people by attractive photos in their Facebook and WhatsApp profile", the advisory said. The cyber police, in the advisory, further added that the blackmailers engage victims in video calls in which they are shown pornographic content. Screenshots or screen recordings are taken, which are later used to blackmail the victims.

"Don't panic. Don't accept any friend requests from strangers. Don't engage in a video chat with strangers. Don't succumb and never pay money. Immediately inform your family, friends, and relatives about it. Report it to the local police or cyber police. Preserve all evidence like screenshots for helping police," Cyber police said in the advisory.

According to the local news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO), numerous youth across the valley have been verbally tortured by unknown users and have shared their trauma with the organization.