With the popularity of the internet, instances of scamming and hacking has increased. Scamming is the act of misrepresentation to get sensitive information out of an individual (eg. bank details, private photos, etc.) and hacking refers to gaining unauthorised access to a system or computer.
If anyone accesses or assists someone else in accessing your device, or obtains data from it without your authorisation or the authorisation of the person in charge of it, then they may be punished under section 43 and/or section 66 of the IT Act. The act of scamming may be punishable under section 66D of the IT Act, sections 415 and/or section 416 of the IPC, where one may be punished with imprisonment for up to three years or fine or both. You may also seek compensation from an organisation or company which possesses or handles your sensitive personal information, under section 43A of the IT Act, where you have suffered from misuse of such sensitive data due to the lack of security measures taken by them to protect this.
Oftentimes we find people, especially those in the limelight, being abused on social media. This could be through comments or posts on various sites. Persons posting derogatory remarks on public platforms like Instagram and Facebook may be penalised with imprisonment of up to two years and/or fine, under section 500 IPC. The perpetrator may be made to compensate the victim in addition to the fine, if a civil defamation suit is filed. If one causes annoyance by posting obscene content on social media, by singing, reciting or uttering obscene songs, ballads or words, then under section 294 of the IPC, such person shall be punished with imprisonment up to three months or with fine or both.  Additionally, per section 509 of the IPC, if one posts material or comments on online platforms, with the intention of insulting the modesty of any woman, with the intention that it be heard or seen by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, then such person shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine or with both. Online stalking is gender specific offence punishable under Section 354D of the IPC. Any man monitoring the activities of a woman on the internet may be punished under this section.
As users of social media, some of you may have received indecent messages, videos and texts. Transmitting such indecent images could attract imprisonment for up to 7 years and fine of up to10 lakh rupees under section 67, 67A and 67B of the IT Act.
The same law applies to instances in which the explicit and indecent digital images being circulated are images of you, irrespective of whether they were obtained without your consent. Publishing and transmitting indecent images in the name of revenge, retribution or vengeance, which is commonly referred to as revenge porn, falls in this category.
Where indecent images or videos of you are recorded or obtained, without your consent, then sections 43, 66 and/or 66E of the IT Act may apply, in addition to the above-mentioned sections. Moreover, any man who watches or captures images of a woman engaging in a private act, where she would usually not have expected anyone to observe her, will be imprisoned for a term which could extend to 7 years and be fined, under section 354C of the IPC.
Publishing morphed or manipulated digital images or videos of you, by a person to whom you had entrusted it, in violation of your trust, may be punished under sections 405 and 500 of the IPC, attracting a penalty of imprisonment which may extend to 3 years or fine or both. If the photos prior to manipulation were obtained without your consent, then punishment will be as per section 500 of the IPC.
If someone is blackmailing you or threatening to publish or circulate your explicit content, irrespective of whether it was obtained with your consent, they may be punished under sections 383, 503 and 507 of the IPC, where the act of blackmailing alone may result in imprisonment for a term of up to three years or fine or both.
As far as offences involving inappropriate or obscene content of minors are considered, the act of browsing, seeking, advertising or promoting electronic material depicting children in obscene or indecent or sexually explicit manner, will attract imprisonment for up to seven years and fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.
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