New Delhi, February 11 The government has taken note of the increasing misuse of digital platforms, including social media and dating applications, through fake profiles, impersonation of women, cyber harassment, deepfakes, and non-consensual sharing of images, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said that the ministry is working closely with the home and electronics and information technology ministries to address online gender-based violence.
This includes addressing impersonation, misuse of fake profiles, circulation of obscene content, non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), and deepfakes through inter-ministerial consultations, advisories, regulatory measures, and victim-support mechanisms.
The minister said that under Mission Shakti, a holistic and victim-centric approach has been adopted to enhance the safety, security, and empowerment of women, including protection from technology-facilitated crimes.
Victims of cyber harassment are provided integrated services such as legal aid, counselling, and facilitation for lodging complaints through one-stop centres set up across the country.
Under the Nirbhaya Fund, the government has implemented the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) scheme. A dedicated cybercrime reporting portal, and a national helpline 1930 are operational, while the home ministry continues awareness campaigns on cyber offences and available redressal mechanisms through social and other media platforms.
The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides the statutory framework for action against cyber offences, the minister said. The act is technology-neutral and applies to all computer resources, including those using artificial intelligence.
The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 – amended in 2022, 2023, and 2025 – mandate due diligence by intermediaries under Section 79 of the IT Act. Rule 3 prohibits hosting or transmission of unlawful content, she added.
In addition, sustained awareness and outreach programmes are undertaken through Mission Shakti, one-stop centres, digital campaigns, workshops, and coordination with states and Union territories to educate women and girls on the safe and responsible use of digital platforms, digital privacy, reporting mechanisms, including the national cyber crime reporting portal, and intermediary grievance systems and legal remedies available under cyber laws, Thakur added.