DNA- Wednesday, March 4, 2009 22:17 IST

Watch that e-motional trap

Mumbai: A city doctor succumbs to the charms of an online lover and shares with him intimate photographs of herself. A Delhi collegian allows her boyfriend to take candid mobile images of her. Emotionally vulnerable women can be exploited easily in the cyber and mobile space, Mumbaikars tell DNA

Expert view
Avoid disclosing sensitive info online
In this particular case, if the content was given by consent and then misused a complaint can be filed under the IT Act of India, Section 67 which prohibits the usage of pornographic material online.

Also, Section 292 of the IPC sets out the circumstances under which dealing with ‘obscenity’ and / or any ‘obscene’ material is treated as an offense. Whoever sells, allows hiring, distributes, publicly exhibits or in any way puts into circulation or has in his possession, any obscene material is punishable with imprisonment and / or fine.

People need to be very careful with the data they share online. Indian laws don’t permit sharing of pornographic material. In some cases the victims do not even know who posted the offensive material online. Some people create fake accounts just to commit cyber crime and then one has to track down the offender. For this we sometimes need the support of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the police as well.

So here are some tips for online behaviour:
avoid disclosing sensitive information online
maintain cyber decorum
be vary of the content you share on social networking sites, blogs etc
two people may share some information with a fair intention but this information can be misused by a third party
–Karnika Seth. Cyber law expert