Cybercrime and child abuse are normally not considered interconnected, but with the drastic growth Social Media and Artificial Intelligence, it has so become the case that they are starting to intertwine. This growth has brought along numerous opportunities for criminals to exploit and abuse children online. Looking into the definitions of both Cybercrime and Child Abuse. ‘Cybercrime’ as defined by Oxford is ‘criminal activities carried out by the means of computers or the internet’, and ‘Child Abuse’ is defined as ‘any intentional mistreatment or harm to an individual under the age of 18’. In this article we will explore the horizons on which these activities are taking place.
In the recent years, Cyber Child Abuse has taken multiple forms including but not limited to child pornography, cyberbullying, child solicitation and cyberstalking. Dissecting them one by one, child pornography is the production and distribution of sexually explicit content involving minors (those who are under 18), this can be made by leaked videos or even using generative AI by simply putting up an image of the child into the AI. Cyberbullying is the use of technology but mostly social media platforms to harass, intimidate or threaten minors. Child solicitation is the use of technology to lure minors into sexual exploitation and last but not the least, cyberstalking is the tracking of children without their consent using technology.
A very important question that arises is that, ‘Why is there an increase in Cybercrime especially in the area of child abuse?’. The answer to this lies in our day to day activities, like the increased use of social media - posting the pictures of minors on publicly visible profiles, increased lack of privacy because of the introduction of AI into our lives, as well lack of parental control. These things have led to criminals and hackers getting access to our private information as well as that of minors. Alongside this, the anonymity and accessibility to the virtual world have made it easier for perpetrators to hide themselves and exploit children without any immediate consequences. To add to this, the abundance of pornographic content on the internet has further normalised the exploitation of minors for pleasure.
Another question that arises in this situation is, ‘Is there anything the governments or international bodies are doing to remedy this?’. As a matter of fact, there are efforts being made to combat this, a few frameworks that have been formulated in the past for the same are, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC) alongside its Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. At a national level, the Indian Government has the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 have played critical roles in defining and criminalising various forms of exploitation of children both in person and online.
These frameworks though useful but do not cover everything that is currently happening. One of the major issues that stands out while coming up with frameworks is the cross-border nature of these crimes and often hinders the prosecution of the criminal. Apart from this, the growth of technology keeps adding new ways of exploitation that these offenders can use. To combat these issues, a multifaceted approach could help, the collaboration between the law enforcement agencies, tech giants, policymakers and social service providers while in progress we can try to raise awareness on these activities so the threat reduces.
The intersection of cybercrime and child abuse is a horrifying reality that requires immediate attention and as the digital world continues to evolve, the most vulnerable members of our society (minors) need to be protected. By strengthening legal frameworks, and promoting comprehensive awareness and prevention strategies, we can work towards a safer online environment for everyone, especially for children.
Comentarios