A sharp rise in cybercrimes against children in 2020

More than 400 per cent rise in cybercrime cases against children was noticed in 2020 in comparison to 2019.

According to the latest report by National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB), most such offences are related to publishing or transmitting materials showing children in sexually explicit acts as, among the 842 cases of online offences, 738 cases were about the same (that is publishing or transmitting materials showing children in sexually explicit acts).

The data by NCRB also says the top five states reporting cybercrimes against children are: Uttar Pradesh with 170 cases, Karnataka with 144 cases, Maharashtra with 137 cases, Kerala with107 and Odisha with 71 cases.

Apparently, there is a sharp rise (over 400 per cent) in cybercrimes (registered under the Information Technology Act) committed against children in comparison to past years. In 2019, 164 cases of cybercrimes against children were reported while in 2018, 117 cases of cybercrimes were committed against children and 79 such cases were registered in 2017.

CEO of CRY-Child Rights and You, Puja Marwaha, stated, ''Spending more time on internet for accessing education and other communication purposes, children have also become more vulnerable to multiple risks, particularly in the contexts of online sexual abuse, grooming or sexual solicitation, sexting, exposure to pornography, production and circulation of child sexual abuse material, cyber-bullying, online harassment and cyber-victimisation, and many other privacy-related risks.''

Puja Marwaha has called for a need for cohesion between forums for internet governance policy and child protection on the existing discourse on children's digital rights. She also stressed the need for a coordinated approach for equipping children, caregivers, teachers and the public with skills for safeguarding against online threats and being responsible digital citizens.