Cybercrimes against children: Karnataka to implement TN-style SOP

With incidents of cybercrimes against children on the rise, the Karnataka government on Wednesday (October 8) said it will implement a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), similar to the one adopted in Tamil Nadu, to curb the growing menace.

Child cybercrimes refer to offences committed against children using digital technologies, including online sexual exploitation, child pornography, harassment, and cyberbullying. These acts seriously endanger children’s rights and well-being.

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“Tamil Nadu became the first state in India to introduce a formal SOP to combat such crimes, clearly outlining the responsibilities of each department involved. Following this model, the KSCPCR has now decided to implement a similar framework in Karnataka to strengthen protection against child cybercrimes,” the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) Chairperson K Naganna Gowda said.

Consultative meeting with ChildFund India

Speaking at a consultative meeting held in Bengaluru in collaboration with ChildFund India — focused on enhancing child safety and strengthening child protection systems online — Gowda announced that the state will soon roll out the Tamil Nadu-style SOP. “Steps have already been initiated to implement it in the coming days,” he said.

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He emphasised that research and data-driven studies play a vital role in informing policies and interventions designed to protect children from online threats. By identifying risk factors, authorities can conduct effective assessments and design targeted strategies to ensure children’s rights are not compromised. The KSCPCR, he added, is committed to advocating for children's rights and ensuring their protection in digital spaces.

Rise in online activity after COVID

According to a study by ChildFund India, the use of social media by children has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them, older children aged 15-18 are the most active online.

Nearly 90 per cent of children under 15 and 99 per cent of those above 15 use mobile phones or laptops regularly. The study found that as children grow older, their online engagement deepens — particularly their involvement in online friendships. Interestingly, boys were more likely than girls to form online friendships outside school.

Exposure to unsafe online interactions

The study further revealed that children aged 15-18 are more vulnerable to unsafe online interactions. Around 5 per cent of them reported feeling uncomfortable or unsafe during such interactions. About 77 per cent of children in this age group use social media platforms like Instagram.

Among those who reported unsafe experiences, 53 per cent said the offender was a stranger, 35 per cent said it involved someone they knew, and 12 per cent experienced both situations. Additionally, 16 per cent of children in this age group befriended strangers online, and 10 per cent of them met those strangers in person. Of those who did, 15 per cent reported facing immediate negative consequences, as per the study.

Online sexual abuse among peers

Alarmingly, only 43 per cent of parents monitor their children’s online activities. The study found that 78 per cent of children aged 12-14 and 75 per cent of those aged 15-18 had experienced some form of online sexual abuse involving their peers. Despite this, most parents remained unaware of their children’s online interactions. Although awareness about online sexual abuse risks exists, knowledge about effective safety measures remains inadequate, the report said.

Interestingly, girls showed greater awareness about online sexual abuse risks, whereas boys were less likely to perceive themselves as vulnerable — a finding that underscores the need for better awareness and engagement among boys, the report concluded.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)