Cyber Laws by Tushar Bhardwaj

The Cyber space has evolved a lot in the past decade. When one things evolves at a grand
scale the danger of it hitting the ground is also there. Likewise though the cyber space i.e. the
internet has evolved a lot and there is not limit for it to maximise, the risk of crimes has also
increased. Though the legislature has enacted laws to curb the usage and circulate the form of
information but the laws still are stringent and vague. The IT Act 2000, has stringent laws on
online harassment, bullying and stalking. Also it doesn’t not provide gender equality as the
laws which have been incorporated in the IT Act are more inclined towards women and a
little inclined towards men. Here the problem arises that there are a lot more genders than
later and former, like the LGBTQ community haven’t gotten any laws regarding cyber
bullying, stalking, harassment, etc.
Also the IT Act has a very little information regarding the offences and one has to dig into the
IPC for punishment of those offences. Some of the offences are given bellow:-
Section 66E Punishment for violation of Privacy- this section clearly states that any the
victim maybe a male or female by using the language He or She.

Section354A of the IPC:

Individuals posting lustful remarks via web-based networking media are subject under this
law and can be rebuffed with one-year detainment and fine.
Also, posting/informing content identified with sex entertainment against the desire of a
Women or mentioning sexual favours are deserving of a fine alongside three years of
detainment under a similar arrangement.

Section354C of the IPC:

This demonstration manages voyeurism which is a criminal offense under both the IPC and
the IT Act. It manages situations where a man, without the assent of a Women, catches a
picture/video of her occupied with a private demonstration. Such a demonstration is
deserving of one to three years of detainment alongside a fine. This arrangement can be
alluded to particularly in situations when the Women doesn't hope to be seen by the charged.

Section 354D of the IPC:

This arrangement of the IPC manages what is usually alluded to as "web based following".
The arrangement covers the grounds of a situation where an endeavor to contact a Women is
made by means of the web, email or some other type of electronic correspondence with the
goal of building up close to home association regardless of her obvious lack of engagement.
Such a demonstration is culpable with three years of detainment on the principal tally
followed by five years of detainment on the second include the two of which are
notwithstanding a money related fine.
Section 499 of the IPC:
Any person who accepts that his/her notoriety is being hurt by an obvious portrayal
distributed on the web can conjure this arrangement which solely represents comments via
web-based networking media or indecent pictures or recordings posted for open utilization.
Under this arrangement, criticizing a Women online will land the culprit in prison for a time
of two years.

Section 503 of the IPC:

On account of an individual compromising a Women with the expectation to either alert her
or insult her notoriety, the previous is obligated to be punished with a prison term of two
years.

Section 507 of the IPC:

Under this arrangement, any person who acts in light of a legitimate concern for scary or
undermining a Women by unknown correspondence is at risk to be rebuffed with two years
in jail.

Section509 of the IPC:

Under this arrangement, an individual particularly posting sexual
comments/pictures/recordings involving sexual suggestions via web-based networking media
is subject to three years of detainment alongside a fine against a women.

Almost all the Above Sections of The IPC and IT Act are Women Centric and also some
sections are only Male-Female Oriented. The question that arises here is that how a person of
different gender than the later and former can file a suit and seek justice. Thus we need to
achieve gender neutrality and one of the best way is to use gender neutral language.
 References
 https://blog.ipleaders.in/cyber-stalking/
 https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/society/article/9-laws-you-should-know-
about-online-stalking-harassment-obscenity-cybercrime/185352
 http://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-909-cyber-stalking-and-harassment-on-
women.html
 https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2486125
 https://onlineharassmentfieldmanual.pen.org/defining-online-harassment-a-glossary-of-
terms/