Army officers and personnel have been warned against overusing social networking platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
According to sources, some officers and soldiers have been honeytrapped by foreign agencies and have inadvertently leaked sensitive information.
The army has warned government departments of foreign agencies setting up “honey traps” to target officers dealing with sensitive information on national security.
In addition, the army warns officers and soldiers not to use photos in uniform as profile pictures on social networking sites or reveal their rank, unit name, or location.
In the past, officers and soldiers have been honeytrapped by foreign agencies and inadvertently leaked sensitive information, so the directive has been issued to limit their online presence.
“Similar directives were issued in the past too, but we found that the guidelines weren’t followed strictly. We will take action against those who violated the guidelines,” he said.
According to the official, there is no ban on social media use, but the instructions aim to make them aware of the hazards of excessive use.
Official communications are being circulated on WhatsApp, and there is a possibility of information being leaked, so officers and soldiers have been told not to circulate any information through social media. As well as not forwarding and storing sensitive data on their electronic devices, they have been instructed not to open suspicious emails and websites.
Women are suspected of being used by foreign intelligence agencies to trap Indian officers through social media. In exchange for classified information, the women, who usually operate on porn sites, trap vulnerable officers, engage in sex chats and then blackmail them.
In the last six years, more than 20 serving and retired defence personnel have been arrested for allegedly spying for the ISI.
