40 percent of 13,238 people in a Local Circles survey said they wanted “mandatory action by all platforms with presence in India” against issues of trolling, harassment, abuse, extortion and fraud online to create a safer space for women. Answering a query on possible actions that can be taken to reduce these issues, the 40 percent respondents said that action should be taken “within 24 hours of submission of evidence.” Another 46 percent opted for a ‘Women Cyber Grievance hotline’ by the central government while 60 percent respondents pushed for ‘National Women Cyber Grievance hotline’ that coordinates with the local police. In all, 83 percent of respondents called for more actions to make the internet safer for women. “Women shouldn’t have to pay a penalty for keeping up with the latest technology to seek information, entertainment, social media interaction, employment or even conduct business. The Government should also heed the demand by 40% of respondents to ensure “mandatory action by all platforms with presence in India within 24 hours of submission of evidence”,” said Local Circles. Why it matters: Back in 2021, platforms like Facebook, Google, TikTok, and Twitter made commitments at the UN Generation Equality Forum to address abuse of women online. This was following a 14-month initiative led by the Web Foundation to discuss this issue. Two years on we are yet to hear of any significant move by any of these platforms. The Local Circles’ report highlights that online sexual harassment and other such abuses are the…
