Cyber safety Precaution for Women

With the advancement of technology, the lives of people has become easier. The information and communication technology has bridged the communication gap. The Internet has revolutionized our lives in many ways. From getting the information to changing and expanding the business approach, from connecting with people to saving our time internet has definitely benefitted our lives by making it convenient and effortless. But as rightly said that every coin has two sides Internet too on one hand making our lives uncomplicated and trouble free it has open the gates for many crimes as well. According to reports approx. 2000 cyber crimes cases are reported in India related to sexual harassment and approx. 700 cases related to cyber bullying in 6 months which is giving a hint that women are becoming soft targets of the Cyber Crimes.

Cyber Crimes are increasing at an alarming rate in India thereby creating anguishes and apprehensions in the mind of people especially females. There are majority of cyber-crimes that are happening and out of which there are various crimes that only women are becoming victims of, some of these are :

Cyber Stalking:

The Dating Game!

One of the most emerging and common phenomena is online dating. This new trend may turn out to be unsafe for you and various users. The solution is not by stopping you but to ensure that you are safe. More so often women in India are more likely to face cyber stalking and online harassment than men. This article provides a list of cyber securities for women that you must follow.

“ More so often women in India are more likely to face cyber stalking and online harassment than men.”

What leads to be a victim

· Lack of awareness of using such platforms

· Negligible interest in knowing about safety measures

· Lack of familiarity with technology.

Avoid

· Revealing your city or locality in a dating app.

· Restrain from posting too many pictures , plenty of information can be gathered from the picture.

· Never share your password or any scan codes with anyone.

· Restrain from sharing your personal information example height, weight etc. etc.

· Perpetrators share lot of information to build trust, it’s the tactic to extract information.

· Usually, preparators takes 3 months or to get more trust from you.

· Avoid clicking on malicious link as there is “no freebies”.

· Never Leave your webcam connected as there are too many apps that can records your movements with your knowledge.

Trust your instincts! Commonsense plays the first line of defense both online and offline. You are free to decline, ignore, block and unfriend. Always remember what was always a private affair can now be instantly broadcast to billions of people across the digital world.

The potential to broadcast cyber violence and hate crimes against women is particularly noticeable.it is exponential, at time corrosive. Women who are more active in social media receive more threats that directly attack their gender, their safety and very right to express opinion in male dominated spaces.

Morphing

It is intentional obscene modification in a picture of a person. The criminal generally edits the picture to misuse it. The person indulged in morphing usually downloads the picture from social media websites and either uploads the anonymously on sites or uses the picture to get them registered.

Considering the gravity of the situation many laws are made in this regard in IPC 1860 and IT Act 2000. The provisions in IPC are-

· Section 354 D , describes stalking in any form weather physical or through online means as a criminal offence.

· Section 354A provides punishment for sexual harassment with 3 years of imprisonment and/or fine, whereas Section 354C talks about voyeurism which is defined as capturing and disseminating the image of a woman engaged in her private act without her consent. 3 years of conviction for the first time and 7 years of conviction for the second time along with fine is mentioned in the section.

· Section 503 and section 509

The provisions of IT Act 2000 are-

• · Section 67 deals with the publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form. In 2008 child pornography and retentions of records by intermediaries were included in the section.

• · Section 66A provides punishment for sending offensive messages through any means of communication for causing indignation and annoyance, or sending emails to deceive or mislead the person commonly known as email spoofing. The person doing such acts can be punished for 3 years.

• · Section 66B prescribes punishment for fraudulently receiving the stolen computer’s resource or device which is imprisonment up to 3 years and fine for 3 lakhs or both

• · Section 66C deals with identity theft which is using some other person’s information such as electronic signatures and passwords.

• · Section 66 D- cheating by personation using any computer’s resource or communication device. The punishment for this offence may extend for up to 3 years and fine which may extend up to 1 lakh.

• · Section 66E and F talks about breaching the privacy by publishing or posting any private picture of any person through online means and Cyber terrorism thereby threatening the integrity and unity of the person (also nation) respectively.

• · Section 72 stipulates punishment for breach of privacy and confidentiality and section 72A deals disclosure of personal information of any person in a lawful contract.

Conclusion

Women are a soft target or more vulnerable to men at some points, Government has made certain laws to combat the crimes but these laws are needed to be constantly evaluated. By taking certain precaution not only women but also men will be saved from such practices.