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Pune: Going by statistics, the phenomenon of crimes related to social media was a mere 152 two years ago.

It rose to 554 last year , but has already zoomed to 507 in the first seven months of this year.

The cyber crime branch of the Pune police, which deals with them, said, of the total number of complaints in 2017, 330 were related fake profiles, defaming someone on their web page, posting vulgar comments and photographs, and hacking a page for extorting money.

In 2016, there were 387 such complaints.

Deputy commissioner of police (cyber & economics) Sudhir Hiremath said people, especially youngsters are using social networking sites on their desktops and on their cellphones "to exact 'revenge' from someone who may have hurt them knowingly or unknowingly".

These social networking crimes range from creating fake profiles and operating them, posting defamatory or vulgar comments about people and their beliefs, identity thefts, hacking Facebook pages or profiles, and posting cellphone numbers of women, uploading pornographic material on these sites, and morphing images.

Inspector Radhika Phadke of the cyber crime cell told TOI that many people post their bitter comments on social networking sites which hurt the feelings of communities. "These cases have to be handled sensitively by the police," she added.

A major crime that has increased in the last six months is of hacking profiles or pages and posting vulgar comments or photographs, Phadke said. There were 83 such cases in 2016 which increased to 104 complaints in 2017.

Women are particularly vulnerable to such attacks. In some cases, someone known to the victim has hacked the page and posted vulgar comments and obscene photographs on the profile, police said.

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Social media trove becomes hunting ground for criminals - Times of India

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office said in a statement that the Trump administration's "latest unlawful misguided action undermines public safety and violates" the Constitution. He said the city is challenging the administration "to ensure that their misguided policies do not threaten the safety of our residents."

The legal action comes amid Trump administration threats to cut off funding for so-called sanctuary cities, including Chicago. The city, which emphasizes that Chicago and its Welcoming City ordinance are in compliance with the law, wants the court to render the federal stipulations unlawful.

"Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values, and we are and will remain a welcoming city," said Emanuel. "The federal government should be working with cities to provide necessary resources to improve public safety, not concocting new schemes to reduce our crime fighting resources."

The suit revolves around new conditions set for an important funding program: the FY2017 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, or JAG, which provided federal funding to support local law enforcement efforts, according to the statement.

Applications for the grants in fiscal year 2017 are due on September 5. The program is named for Edward Byrne, a New York City police officer who was killed in 1988. He had been protecting a Guyanese immigrant who reported illegal activity to police.

Chicago argues the new conditions placed on the grant program "effectively federalize local detention facilities and violate the Fourth Amendment."

The conditions include:

-- "Compliance with a federal statute that bars restrictions on federal-local sharing of immigration status information";

-- "Unlimited access to local police stations and law enforcement facilities by US Department of Homeland Security personnel to interrogate arrestees"; and,

-- "The requirement that cities provide DHS with at least a 48 hour notice prior to an arrestee's release, which would require detaining residents longer than is permissible under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution."

The Constitution's Fourth Amendment protects against "unreasonable searches and seizures."

Chicago Corporation Counsel Ed Siskel said the attorney general's office doesn't have "the authority to add these requirements to a grant program created by Congress and cannot commandeer local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration law functions."

Chicago's Welcoming City ordinance "prioritizes effective local law enforcement and crime prevention over federal civil immigration issues."

"This ordinance promotes public safety by ensuring that no city resident, regardless of their status, is afraid to cooperate with law enforcement, report criminal activity to the police, serve as a witness in court, or seek help as a victim of crime," the news release said.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said federal funding and agents have greatly helped Chicago fight crime.

"The federal government has been an effective partner in the crime fight, as funding and additional federal agents have greatly helped us to take guns off the streets and make our communities safer," said Johnson.

"Removing those resources, regardless of the reason, makes CPD's mission to protect all residents in Chicago that much more difficult."

The threats could result in the loss of billions of dollars in federal grants that pay for a range of programs for crime and domestic violence victims, drug treatment, missing and exploited children, forensic labs, services for disabled people, and boys' and girls' clubs.

In Chicago, $3.6 billion in federal funds are at stake, possibly jeopardizing money to pay for everything from feeding low-income pregnant women to repairing roads and bridges, according to a recent analysis by the Better Government Association, a nonpartisan state watchdog group.

In May, the city launched a campaign in response to President Donald Trump's threats to cut off funding for sanctuary cities. "One Chicago" was recently established in response to the growing needs of the city's refugee and immigrant populations.

The campaign slogan reads: "Three million residents, three million stories, one Chicago."

Excerpt from:
Chicago to sue over 'misguided' sanctuary city warning - CNN

This anti-diversity manifesto has been making the rounds, withcalls to avoid socially engineering diversity in response to veiled left ideology, to de-moralize diversity, to de-emphasize empathy, to prioritize intention, and to be open about the science of human naturewhichis claimedto confirm a lot of right-wingpriors and stereotypes.

I have questions for the authorReally? You don't understand that a corporation is a form of social engineering for a specific purpose? You don't know that small effects at scale result in disproportionate impacts? You don't realize that results matter as well as intentions?

And you don't understand that, at Google of all places?

According toyou, Google's new motto should be, Don't do evil, but if evil is caused by our biases or actions, prioritize intention?

If you don't know that all companies, all engineering is social engineering, but especially Google, then you don't know engineering, you don't know society, and you really don't know Google and aren't doing your employer any favors.

You really think the rest of the world is going to look at this and say, sure Google, go ahead and remake the world in the image of engineers like you? We'll just be over here, blissfully watched over by your machines of loving grace?

Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative is a foundation of Western Enlightenment ethics: Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law. It's the Golden Rule taken to its logical extreme: Treat others as you would liketo be treated. Think globally, act locally.

Is possible to act that way all the time? No. Not even if you're some kind of saint. You have to be a little crazy to say, software should be free, so I'm only going to use free software because if everyone did that the world would be better.

Who can even say what the consequences would really be? It's certainly a foundation of ethics to think through the consequences of your actions and act accordingly, and yet, to predict the consequences of any universal law (or anything) is also an act of hubris.

Ayn Rands view is that everyone should act for their own benefit. Government and even altruism is immoral. That's even more extreme than Kant. It ignores the fact that humans do anything worthwhile in groups, not just as individuals, and organize into hierarchies with rules, enforcement.

A more enlightened Randian view is that everyone pursues his or herown self-interest, but does so strategically. Governments and charity can be social contracts that people enter into freely to promote the good of all.

Game theory, where everyone acts strategically in their own interest, is an antithesis to Kant. Treat others as you would expect to be treated. Think globally, about how everyone else will respond, then act locally, strategically, in your own self-interest.

A synthesis of these antitheses is something like: how do we build a society of laws, institutions, corporations, and technology like Google, that lets imperfect humans, who are at times boundedly ethical and altruistic and boundedly rational and strategic, work together to survive and prosper?

If you're human, you have intelligence. It's the apple from the tree of knowledge. In no earthly religion or philosophical systemdoyougetenlightenment or salvation based on good intentions. You have to think through the consequences of your actions. You are free to choose but not to escape the necessity of choice, and the consequences.

The sentiments expressed in this screed are, to be generous, immature. Lately it seems to have become more acceptable to make anti-social statements against women, men, blacks, whomever. We should be thinking carefully about who benefits, who is promoting it, and why, and how we defend freedom while at the same time defending ourselves against stupidity, and people who abuse their own freedom to take it away from others.

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Soul-searching at Google - HuffPost

Ive noticed something about being in the gun industry. Everyone has a story, and more often than not they are more than willing to share it with you. Well I would like you to meet Antonia Okafor and her story. Antonia is a black woman who is often criticized and belittled because of her beliefs. Mainly because she is a major advocate for the Second Amendment. She is the founder of emPOWERed, which is an organization aimed at bringing campus carry to colleges around the country. As a woman who went to college and also as a woman who has had her own experiences where I realized how important self-defense was, I could totally get behind this.

Recently Antonia wrote an article for the illustrious New York Times about why she carries a gun to school. Me being the common sense, gun loving, Second Amendment advocate that I am LOVED it. Even more so that it was attached to something that was near and dear to my heart, New York.

I thought this was awesome, living in New York City, its not often you see a pro 2A article in any newspaper from here. After reading the article I did something I normally do after reading an article, I read the comments.

What I saw in those comments honestly disturbed me on so many different levels. The comments that I read were from mostly men telling her that she shouldnt be able to keep her guns, telling her shes not strong enough and that she would be overpowered anyway and shot with her own firearm so dont even try.

Praying they werent in the same parking lot as her in fear she would accidentally shoot them because of her emotional instability. Men who were envisioning her attack and telling her to be more realistic about her protection choices. Well guess what, THIS IS REALISTIC. This is the reality for so many women.

I consider myself an old age feminist, where I believe I can do anything a man can do. Which includes taking her own self-defense into her own hands. I think what bothered me most about those comments were theyre written by the very people who claim to praise women and respect their choices. But because a WOMAN wants to exercise her Constitutional right that they dont agree with, now shes suddenly weak, uneducated, nave, and even mentally ill.

The women fighting for our Second Amendment right have a much larger fight than we all may realize. Were fighting to protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States and were also fighting for our rights as women. Its a disgrace that an educated, respected woman is accused of being a pawn for the NRA and being told to depend on college escort programs, which essentially means relinquishing your ability to defend yourself to some college campus peace officer, which is also probably a male. No thanks. Ill continue exercising my rights how I see fit, which includes the first AND second Amendments.

Antonia, like so many other women in the gun industry are often criticized, ridiculed and belittled often by people who scream womens rights. If theres one thing I have to say to ANYONE who claims they are a feminist or a womans right activist is this; If you want the government to stay out of my body, then dont tell me how to defend my body.

http://www.antoniaokafor.com/empowered

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What happens when a Texas 2nd Amendment woman meets New York City? - SOFREP (press release) (subscription)

According to Nicola Latorre, an Italian senator and ally of the minister, Mr. Minniti was the protagonist of the breakthrough last week, when Prime Minister Fayez Serraj of Libya requested the support of Italian naval ships to counter human trafficking.

It is a risky endeavor that Italy has nevertheless sought for years, desperate to cut the migrant flow. Its success or failure now falls to Mr. Minniti, who polls show to be a popular member of a government with uncertain chances in the next election.

Some political observers have even suggested that Mr. Minniti, with his leftist background and ability to please conservatives with tough talk on security, might be a good candidate for prime minister. He has served in five center-left Italian governments, though he emphasized that he had never asked for a position. Ive always been chosen, he said.

Minniti could be a card to play, said Marco Damilano, a prominent Italian journalist who has written often about him.

Mr. Minniti dismissed such talk. He said he was instead more focused on countering Islamic radicalism by making pacts with local imams that required them to preach in Italian, building new relationships in Africa and working with the Libyans to defeat human traffickers.

Human relationships count a lot, said the old spy master.

The number of migrants who have landed in Italy this year totals more than 95,000, with about 2,000 who drowned. It is a crisis that has defied nearly every attempt to solve it.

Despite a mix of appeals and threats by Mr. Minniti at European Union meetings, neighboring countries have done little to share Italys crushing burden.

In particular, tensions have risen with President Emmanuel Macron of France, who has resisted accepting migrants and started an uncertain peace process in Libya that, critics here say, blindsided Italy and weakened its chances of stopping traffickers by legitimizing a rival of Mr. Serraj.

Mr. Minniti said that he agreed in principle with Mr. Macron on trying to reach a peace in Libya, but that a target of 2018 would be too late for him. I cannot wait, he said.

He argued that smashing human trafficking networks and investing in Libyan mayors were the best ways to stabilize a porous southern Libyan border that allows migrants from traditionally Francophone African countries to pass.

As Mr. Minniti fidgeted with a silver Casio watch, representatives of humanitarian organizations met in the ministry with officials to try to agree on a new code of conduct for rescuing migrants near Libyan waters.

More than 40 percent of migrants at sea are now rescued by private aid ships, and Mr. Minniti wants to make sure those ships are not colluding with traffickers an accusation popular among right-wing politicians, white nationalist groups and a Sicilian prosecutor.

He also insists that it is only appropriate that the Italian police be able to board those ships, which they did on Wednesday.

My duty is to be close to those who are afraid, to reassure them, to liberate them from fear, Mr. Minniti said, arguing that the left can no longer afford to ignore or look down on people scared by immigration or terrorism.

I think fear is the crucial element of the next 10 years in democracy, he said. In Italy and all the world.

That law-and-order talk has been too much for some of Mr. Minnitis old comrades on the left. (One left-leaning newspaper suggested that Mr. Minniti thought he was Batman.) But the intense and abstemious minister said service to the state was in his blood.

His father was one of nine brothers to make a career in the military. In high school in Reggio Calabria, he developed a love of the ancient poet Catullus.

But his true passion was for the skies. He hoped to follow his familys tradition by becoming an air force pilot. Instead, his mother put her foot down, saying the family had already given enough.

Mr. Minniti said he took the ban badly. (The shelves of his office still display the models of the jets he once hoped to fly.)

In an act of rebellion, he studied philosophy at the University of Messina. He wrote his thesis on the Georgics of Virgil, and to help understand the exploitation of slaves in the ancient Roman fields, he said I used Marx.

Those studies helped bring him closer to the Communist Party, and when he graduated, he said, his father showed how proud he was of his communist philosopher son when he didnt show up.

But that opposition only fueled Mr. Minnitis conviction as he sought to stand up for the countrys democratic values in dangerous sections of Calabria ruled by one of Italys feared mafias, the Ndrangheta (pronounced n-DRAHN-ghe-ta).

In 1980, Mr. Minniti, a free-diving enthusiast, was trying on a swimsuit when he received word that a friend in the Communist Party had been gunned down by the mob. It fell on him to tell his comrades parents.

In the 1980s, he began working closely with the Communist Partys rising star, Massimo DAlema. In the early 1990s, Mr. Minniti by then married to a musician, Mariangela, with whom he has two daughters moved with Mr. DAlema to form a new political party.

When Mr. DAlema became prime minister in 1998, he brought Mr. Minniti in as his right-hand man. The young aide worked at a desk once used by Benito Mussolini, and less than a month into his tenure answered a secure phone in his bedroom.

I was convinced it would never ring, he said.

The Italian authorities had stopped Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party, who was considered a terrorist by many, as he entered Italy. Mr. Minniti ordered his arrest, setting off on a crash course in international intelligence operations and spy craft.

The experience followed almost immediately by his crucial role in the Italian intervention in Kosovo gave him a taste for security work.

In 1999, he made his first visit to Libya, a former Italian colony, and began to learn about its disparate centers of power. Today he rattles off the names of Libyan towns where traffickers loom, places that he says he knows better than his native Calabria.

But whether that deep experience can resolve Italys endless migrant crisis remains a long shot. Already, like with an earlier agreement with the Libyans that Mr. Minniti helped broker, not all has gone according to plan.

Early in the planning, a competing Libyan leader, Gen. Khalifa Hifter whom Mr. Macron has included in peace talks has threatened to bomb the Italian navys ships. The Italian ambassador in Tripoli responded that such threats were useless and that the Italian mission would go ahead.

Mr. Minnitis ministry eager to show its strategy is working has latched on to a dip in the number of migrants arriving in Italy compared with last year.

The minister himself knows skepticism is high and said that when he first broached dealing with Libya, which lacked an empowered interlocutor with whom to negotiate, critics laughed in my face.

They said, You dont understand the most basic thing: Libya is instable.

What he does understand, he said, is that such instability means anything can happen at any time and that any deal could blow up. But we have built a path.

A version of this article appears in print on August 5, 2017, on Page A7 of the New York edition with the headline: Italys Lord of the Spies Takes On a Migration Crisis.

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Italy's 'Lord of the Spies' Takes On a Migration Crisis - New York Times