Cyber Safety

BACKGROUND
The internet is gaining importance in every area of our lives. It provides people with avenues to search for important information in a split second or run a business from a computer or smartphone. Internet-based tools and apps constantly offer new and improved ways to conduct transactions, send and receive information, find entertainment and express ourselves.

But an unseen danger that affects an estimated 44,500+ people in India annually is cyber crime (National Crime Records Bureau, 2019). There are people – and indeed entire organizations – who use the same tools to exploit and commit crimes against children which include:

• Blackmail 
• Threats
• Harassment 
• Fake Profiles
• Child Pornography
• Cyber Stalking or Bullying
• Crimes Through Online Games
• and more (Source: National Crime Records Bureau)

In 2019 alone, the National Crime Records Bureau recorded 300+ cyber crimes against children. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in March 2020, educational institutions such as schools and colleges, local and global organizations, and friends and family have turned to technology to communicate and conduct day-to-day activities – and so did cyber criminals. 

Data from pornographic websites show a 95% increase in website traffic from India from March 2020 onwards and alarmingly a significant portion of this increase revealed specific keyword searches for child pornographic content (India Child Protection Fund, April 2020). Many cyber criminals create this content by coercing unsuspecting children on the internet through websites, webcams, chat apps and social media platforms under the guise of making new friends. It is therefore crucial to educate children on how to IDENTIFY, PREVENT and REPORT cyber crimes.

WOMEN’S SAFETY WING’S CybHER INITIATIVE
Women Safety Wing Telangana Police launched the month-long CybHER I and CybHER II awareness campaigns using awareness videos and other creative activities in to make cyberspace safe for women and children. To create a thorough and sustainable cyber safety program, Women Safety Wing Telangana Police in partnership with the Education Department Government of Telangana, Cyber Security expert Rakshit Tandon and NGO Youngistaan Foundation launched CybHER III, or the Cyber Congress project, on Zoom on June 29th 2021 to conduct detailed sessions with a selected team of students in each class within 1,650 schools across all the districts of Telangana for a 10-month period.

The 10-month Cyber Congress project will focus on training this select team of students along with school teachers and counsellors to create Cyber Ambassadors who will be trained on all aspects of cyber safety and will in turn educate everyone in their school and community circles on how to be safe from cyber crimes. 

Cyber Ambassadors will be facilitators who will not only educate but provide assistance to others if/when they witness any cyber crimes being committed. The sessions will be conducted via video-conferencing and will also include assignments and activities which may be conducted on-ground in compliance with all COVID-19 safety protocols.


GET INVOLVED
If you would like to volunteer as a Volunteer Mentor who will help lead the Zoom sessions and activities with the children, and liaise with all of the stakeholders above, please sign up HERE to get involved with CybHER III. 

KEY FACTS

• India has the second largest internet population in the world with 560+ million users
• Estimated 44,500+ cyber crimes in India each year
• 300+ cyber crimes against children in India each year
• 95% increase in searches for child pornographic content post COVID-19 lockdown
  

FURTHER READING
Cyber Congress Booklet | SHE Teams
CybHER Campaign | Women Safety Wing, Telangana Police
Most Online Content On Child Sexual Abuse From India | The Hindu
India: Promoting Internet Safety Among Netizens | UNODC
Youngistaan Foundation Program Brochure