What has been done? And What can we do?

Lets see what steps has been taken by Government of india  to be implemented by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to protect children from sexual abuse online:

• Government blocks the websites containing extreme Child sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) based on INTERPOL's “Worst-of-list” shared periodically by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is the National Nodal Agency for Interpol. The list is shared with Department of Telecommunications (DoT), who then directed major ISPs to block such websites.

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• Government ordered major ISPs in India to adopt and disable/remove the online CSAM dynamically based on Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), UK list.

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) is implementing a major program on Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA). A dedicated website for information security awareness has also been set up.

• The government has blocked the websites carrying child pornographic content and also asked the CBSE to consider installation of jammers in schools to block access to such sites.

• The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY), in its latest draft sent to the law ministry for vetting, had proposed that content related to terrorism and child pornography should be weeded out by built-in automated technology tools.

• Agencies across the world are sharing information to combat child pornography. New technologies and methods are being adopted.

• Coordination between police and ordinary people to identify the hotspots of child pornography.

• Law enforcement agencies should be permitted to brake end to end encryption to trace distributors of child pornography. Apps that help in monitoring children’s access to pornographic content shall be made mandatory on all devices sold in India. Such Apps or similar solutions to be developed and made freely available to ISP, companies, schools and parents.

• Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of Home Affairs coordinate with Blockchain analysis companies to trace identities of users engaging in cryptocurrency transactions to purchase child pornography online. Online payment portals and credit cards are prohibited from processing payments for any pornographic website.

• All social media platfoms  mandated with minimum essential technologies to detect Child Sexual Abuse Material besides regular reporting to law enforcement agencies in the country.

• The Ministry recommended that On-streaming platforms like Netflix and social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook etc. should have a separate adult section where under-aged children could be disallowed.

• The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) mandatorily record and report annually cases of child pornography of all kinds.

• A national Hotline Number 1098 created where child sexual abuse, as well as the distribution of child pornographic material, can be reported by concerned citizens.

• Ministries of Women and Child Development and Information and Broadcasting launch campaigns for greater awareness among parents to recognize early signs of child abuse, online risks and improving online safety for their child.

Lets see What We can do to stop these crimes:

• Parents can make a vast and positive difference by talking with their children. Like sexuality education in general, the topic of pornography is not one big talk but rather a series of discussions that easily can arise from the content of songs, music videos, video games, movies and unintended or intended exposure to sexually explicit images.

• Parents can help their children develop a critical eye when viewing media, so they see the lies, and differentiate that fiction from the joy in loving equitable and respectful relationships.

• Raising awareness of the unacceptability of child sexual abuse, and promoting the notion that stopping child sexual abuse is everyone's responsibility.

  

• A powerful public education message must be transmitted to the general public, encouraging society to recognize that child sexual abuse is both everyone's problem and responsibility. The goal of such public education efforts is to eliminate any tolerance for sexual abuse or confusion over what society condones as appropriate interactions between adults and children.

• Schools shall undertake training programmes for parents at least twice a year, making them aware of hazards for children of free access to smartphones, internet at an early age. Based on the experiences of other countries, a proper practicable policy for restricting the use of smartphones by under-aged kids needs to be considered.

• Children who have been sexually abused may face severe and long-term psychological consequences. Mental health services, especially if timely, can help ease some of these consequences. They also may help stop the intergenerational transmission of child sexual abuse. Mental health services to those engaging in abusive behavior can help them address stressors that often lead to sexual abuse, helping end such abuse.

• Through publicly soliciting slogans and symbol marks for the elimination of child pornography as a part of public relations and awareness-raising activities, efforts shall be made to promote people's movement in an effective manner.

I think this much will be enough for today's blog. For further information please stay tuned and our aim is to create awareness among people so please share this blog series with your friends and family members on your social media handles and help us in this noble cause.

' In their future it can reflect, if as a child they faced neglect!'