Meta has collaborated with Bollywood celebrity Ayushmann Khurrana to develop a new safety campaign called ‘Scams se Bacho’. According to the parent company of WhatsApp and Instagram, the campaign intends to educate the public on how to protect themselves from cyber fraud and scams, as well as promote safer online practices. The program also aims to coordinate with government initiatives, which are funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
Ayushmann Khurrana stars in a promotional video as a watchful wedding guest who utilizes humor and fast thinking to keep others from falling prey to fraud. The short highlights practical safety features accessible on Meta platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. and Instagram. These features, which include two-factor authentication, group privacy settings, and the option to block and report questionable accounts, are all intended to help users defend themselves from scammers.
Ayushmann Khurrana commented on the initiative, emphasizing the significance of remaining cautious in today’s digital age. He stated that online scams are getting more convincing, and people must be informed of how to protect themselves. Shivnath Thukral, Meta’s Vice President and Head of Public Policy emphasized that combating online scams necessitates collaborative efforts and investments in safety measures and education.
The program focuses on popular scams such as OTP scams that compromise user accounts, impersonation scams in which fraudsters create a false feeling of urgency to extract money, and trading and investment scams that offer unrealistic profits. Meta has also made considerable expenditures in safety, with over 40,000 personnel dedicated to security projects and $20 billion invested since 2016. In the previous three years, the company has also released over 50 safety features targeted at keeping consumers informed and secure while online.