Lucknow: UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana said on Monday that legislature is one of the most important institutions of democracy, and upholding its dignity is the collective responsibility of all public representatives.Addressing a workshop titled ‘Cyber Security: A Digital Security Briefing for Legislators’ in Lucknow, Mahana said that efforts were being made to reverse the decline in the legislature’s dignity over the past few decades.He remarked that with changing times, legislators should develop an understanding of technology, as the public lives of representatives are now linked to digital platforms.Mahana said that while social media was an effective medium for communicating with the public, restraint and vigilance were crucial in its use.“It is not appropriate to accept every piece of information on social media as accurate,” he said, advising legislators to block negative and objectionable posts rather than reacting to them.“Public representatives must be mindful of both their digital image and the dignity of the legislature,” he said.“A competent legislator is not merely someone who understands House proceedings and the issues of their constituency, but also someone capable of comprehending and tackling the challenges that evolve with time,” he said.Finance minister Suresh Khanna observed that technology was advancing rapidly, and the methods used in cybercrime were evolving alongside it. He noted that cybercrime and digital fraud were being witnessed across every sector.“Knowledge and awareness are the most vital tools to guard against these threats,” he said.Cyber expert Amit Dubey apprised the legislators of the rapidly evolving threat landscape in the cyber world. “Cybercriminals no longer target only bank accounts or mobile phones; they may also attempt to compromise digital identities, social media accounts, and images of public representatives,” he said.
