Ranchi, Jan 12 (PTI) Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Monday urged the youth to be prepared as ‘cyber peace ambassadors’ to educate people about cyber security and help curb online financial fraud.

Addressing a seminar on the occasion of National Youth Day on the theme 'National AI Cyber Suraksha: Strengthening Digital Safety for Traders, MSMEs and Youth', Seth said cyber fraud posed a major challenge, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated methods.

"People are being trapped through newer techniques, including digital arrests via video calls. With artificial intelligence (AI) also being misused, the situation has become more complicated," he said.

He added, "We need to prepare the youth as ‘cyber peace ambassadors’ to protect people from cyber fraud, and this seminar is being organised precisely for this purpose, as incidents of cyber fraud through digital arrest are increasing rapidly." He said cyber peace ambassadors with the help of social organisations will educate self-help groups, citizens and students about how to stay safe from cybercriminals while using technology.

Major Vineet Kumar, founder and global president of Cyber Peace, said, "We are living in an era of technological advancement, but at the same time, AI tools intertwined with the internet are emerging as major threats before us. People are using generative AI tools daily. Traders, businessmen, and MSMEs are the most vulnerable to cyber threats while using these tools." He said small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which always face budget constraints in dealing with cyber-related attacks, are being increasingly targeted by cybercriminals.

Major Kumar added that the seminar aimed at empowering people through skill enhancement, raising awareness about the advantages and risks of emerging technologies, and guiding victims on reporting digital fraud incidents.

He said most people fall prey to cyber fraudsters due to limited awareness and lack of basic knowledge before using AI tools and the internet.

"India has the highest number of internet users, and there is an urgent need to make people aware of emerging internet-related threats. This can only be achieved through collaboration between academia, industry, civil society and common citizens," he said.

He said the central government has created a comprehensive ecosystem to deal with cyber fraud and implemented the IT Rules, 2021, the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, and the DPDP Rules, 2025.

Speaking on the occasion, BSNL Jharkhand Circle Chief General Manager Vipul Agarwal said cyber fraud cases are increasing with advancements in digital technology, but can be curbed if people use AI tools and digital payment platforms with proper knowledge in a secure environment.

The seminar was jointly organised by Cyber Peace Foundation and the BSNL Jharkhand Circle. PTI RPS RPS MNB