GUWAHATI: In the digital age we live in today when anonymity ranks many benefits, it also comes with its own set of vices - one of the biggest being ‘cybercrime.’
In the past few months, there have been several instances of cybercrime that also include “sexual misconduct” using Social Media.
In a recent incident, an independently run Instagram account from Guwahati, (username: @guwahati_dairies), which is an “adult content platform” has been sending messages to young women online, asking them to indulge in explicit and unfavourable activities.
The victim, in this case, is a 25-year-old girl.
Speaking to G Plus, the victim’s brother said, “My sister got a vulgar message from this Instagram page. She immediately blocked the page and all her friends have reported the account. However, the page is still active.”
The page, guwahati_dairies lists itself as content providers for people who are 18 years and above; and the page randomly messages girls on the popular photo-sharing social media platform while harassing them without any information about their age and/or whereabouts.
The page currently has 387 followers and 55 posts.
We wanted to report this matter because it is extremely inappropriate and I hope no else has to go through this harassment,” the victim’s brother further added in a conversation with G Plus.
While nude and explicit content is generally blocked on the platform, there are a lot of independent pages where admins (account owners) can cherry pick profiles and direct message people and cause mental and emotional distress to people.
No FIR has been filed currently. However G Plus reached out to sources in the Assam Police who said that in cases of cybercrime it is recommended that the victims should file an FIR.
“They should write a complaint explaining the whole issue and lodge an FIR in their nearest police station and submit the screenshot along with the complaint. They should also save the URL of the page and include it in the report so we can track it,” mentions the website of the cyber crime police branch of Assam.