On Tuesday, a rarely-used section of the IT Act, 2000, was invoked to arrest a law student who was allegedly sending lewd SMSes. Are youngsters misusing technology?
IT Act is well defined to deal with offenders
The instances of misusing technology are on rise because most of the people believe that sending lewd messages or uploading offensive photographs is not a crime and nothing will happen to them. Such people are not aware that there is a law against sending lewd sms-es or misusing new technologies in any way detrimental to the privacy of an individual. These people also think that police will not take strict action on them. Now, there is a clearly defined law in our constitution under the IT Act. The police has also become very aware and started cracking down on such become very aware and started cracking down on such people who are misusing technologies and harassing others.
Another important fact is that technologies like social networking sites where people post their comment or share views with someone are going to remain on the net probably forever and it can be used for referencing a person. Employers or prospective spouses can use one's profile on social networking accounts as evidence to judge the character of that person.
- Vijay Mukhi, cyber expert
Youth use the Internet as double-edge sword
We are a nation with a billion-plus population, with more than 60% in the age group of 30-40. Internet is a technology which gives them the platform to express their views and frustration; during the process, they generally cross the line. For instance, the growing resentment towards a colleague is pacified by creating a fake profile on a social networking site and sending lewd messages to fellow colleagues, just for vendetta. Youth has started using the internet as a double-edge sword. Technology has given youth the power to express themselves in an anonymous way, though today there is no such thing as 'anonymous'. Even the educated lot suffer from the perception that 'misbehaving on internet' is a trivial matter, and don't know the consequences of their online actions. Websites should have a statutory warning alerting them of the consequences of 'online misbehaving'. They need to be made aware about ethics and etiquette of web.
- Lokesh Vishwakarma, former NSS leader, KC college
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