It may become easier to file complaints pertaining to cybercrime, with the Home Ministry hosting a portal to report child sexual abuse material and other material online. The portal currently caters to child pornography, child sexual abuse material. It also includes sexually explicit content such as rape/gang rape material.
Cybercrimes that don’t fall under these categories still have to reported to the nearest police station or the cybercrime cell.
For one to report a complaint, they can opt for either ‘Report Anonymously’ or ‘Report and Track’. When one chooses ‘Report and Track’, complainants will have to provide details such as name, phone number, email address, details of the incident and information supporting the complaint.
If one chooses ‘Report Anonymously’, only information relating to the incident needs to be provided. However, the complaints are approved only after one puts in their phone number and receives a One Time Password.
The portal says that the complaint will be handed over to the state police authorities depending on the information given. However, it is not clear as to how police stations will be assigned for the same. Evidence of the same can also reportedly be uploaded to the portal.
On June 18, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had directed officials to expedite the portal’s launch during a review meeting.
According to Ministry officials from the Department of Women and Child Welfare, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that this project would be funded under Nirbhaya, according to the Indian Express. While the portal will currently respond to complaints, it is expected that there will be technology which will help automatically identify and remove content, the report added.
“The intent of having a dedicated portal hosted by the MHA is to accelerate the procedure so that the matter is resolved within 24 hours. The idea is to escalate content so that it can be blocked and removed as well as to start early prosecution,” the official told IE.