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Government puts multi-ministry framework to combat online child sexual abuse
The Indian government is working hard to keep children safe when they use the internet.
Several government departments are working together to stop bad people from hurting children online.
They have made special laws and rules to protect children from online dangers.
The government also created a special portal called 'Sahyog' that helps remove bad content, like pictures or videos that hurt children, from websites quickly.
New rules require websites to take down harmful content, including fake videos called deepfakes, within three hours when they are ordered to.
The government is teaching people how to stay safe online through many workshops.
So far, more than 11 lakh people, which is over one million, including students and teachers, have learned about cyber safety.
There are also helpful guides for children about stopping cyber bullying and staying safe at school.
These efforts make the internet a safer and more trusted place for everyone, especially children.
India's Women and Child Development Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that a comprehensive multi-ministry institutional framework is in place to prevent, detect and combat online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
The government has launched the 'Sahyog' portal to expedite notices to IT intermediaries for removal or disabling of access to unlawful online content, including Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM).
The legal framework cited includes the POCSO Act 2012, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Information Technology Act 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.
Amendments to the IT Rules 2021 address harms from synthetically generated information, including deepfakes and AI-generated content, requiring intermediaries to remove unlawful content within three hours of a court order or reasoned intimation.
Under the ISEA project, 6,650 awareness workshops have been conducted across India covering over 11.37 lakh participants, and the NCPCR issues guidance documents on online safety, school safety and cyber bullying.
- Who
- Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur, speaking for the Government of India's Women and Child Development Ministry, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
- What
- Announced that a comprehensive and coordinated institutional framework is in place to prevent, detect and combat online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, including the 'Sahyog' portal and strengthened IT Rules.
- Where
- Rajya Sabha (upper house of the Indian Parliament), New Delhi, India.
- When
- August 5 (a Wednesday), during a Rajya Sabha session in response to a question.
- Why
- To ensure an open, safe, trusted and accountable internet for users including women and children, and to address online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Key facts
- Ministries involved
- Women and Child Development; Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); Home Affairs (MHA)
- New initiative
- 'Sahyog' portal for expedited notices to IT intermediaries
- Key laws
- POCSO Act 2012; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023; IT Act 2000; IT Rules 2021
- Content removal deadline
- Within 3 hours of a court order or reasoned intimation
- Awareness campaigns
- 6,650 ISEA workshops covering 11.37 lakh+ participants
- NCPCR guidance
- Being Safe Online (2017); School Safety Manual (2020-21); Cyber Bullying Guidelines (2024)
- Venue
- Rajya Sabha (Indian Parliament)
- Date
- August 5 (Wednesday)
Quotes
Savitri Thakur
Minister of State for Women and Child Development
“"The Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have, within their respective statutory domains, put in place a comprehensive and coordinated institutional framework to prevent, detect and combat the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children"”
theprint.in
Sources
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