Cyber Laws in India: Everything that
You Need to Know
Have you ever felt unsafe about going online and sharing your important information with the world? Although the availability of the internet and affordable rates of smartphones has changed our lives for the better, it has also made us vulnerable to numerous threats. Our accessibility to the world is at our fingertips and to cybercriminal alike. Everything is moving towards digitalization, as online presence is a prerequisite for all of us. Government agencies and private companies rely heavily on the internet. Awareness of cybercrimes, as well as the law, can help you be safe online.
This article will discuss cyber law so that proactive steps can be promptly taken to adequately protect employees, customers, and businesses from cybercriminals.
WHAT IS CYBER LAW?
Cyber law, also known as Internet law, deals with legal issues regarding the use of computers and the internet. It basically acts as a regulatory measure to prevent cybercrimes. The tremendous increase in internet traffic has led to cyber laws. The cyber law differs as per country and deals with the internet safety of the person.
WHAT COMES UNDER CYBER LAW?
PHISHING/FRAUD
It is the most prevalent digital crime by cyber criminals to gather all the confidential information before cyber-attack. The hackers lure targets by psychologically manipulating them and posing as a trusted entity. The channels typically used are email, text messages, web, social media or a call that seems alluring and factual. The collected information is then used to access the accounts. This, in turn, can result in a financial and identity loss. With the continuous evolution in technology, cyber-attackers are also adopting new tactics, so awareness is quintessential. Understanding the potential threats can help you protect your brand and business.
CYBER DEFAMATION (LIBEL) LAW
The cyberspace has progressively become an easy platform to share and express your ideas. It turns into a crime when the statements are incorrect and meant to defame a business or reputation of a person. Defamation laws protect the company’s or an individual’s private interest and social image. Defamation is a civil offence in India and damage results in monetary compensation. This law acts as a thin line between the right of speech and defaming statements.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY/ COPYRIGHT
In the past, detecting plagiarism was difficult. The companies or individuals needed to hire a lawyer to maintain the copyright or I.P.R. The recent technological advances have made it easier to safeguard the original content/work of a person. Copyright violation protects the rights of a company or individual to retain ownership of their creativity. The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 (2012 Amendment) in India is implemented to protect the rights and ownership of a person’s work. As per a report by The Hindu, 33 papers from a top-notch research institute are under plagiarisms.
WHERE TO REPORT CYBER-CRIME?
Cyber laws have different structures in different countries depending on their national needs. The cyber law information of different countries is easily available at cyberlaws.net.
In India cyber laws are well framed for the public and government is helping people to reduce the pain of cyber-crime.
- Phishing, E-mail and SMS scams can be reported online to the income tax department.
- The Information Technology Act, 2000 deals with “electronic commerce.”
- Defamation in India comes under Section 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.
Keep yourself protected in the flood of malicious online content. It is a trap and you need preventive measures to avoid it. Be careful when you go online.
The author of this article is Dr. Jyoti Sharma Pillai who is a freelance writer.