Lok Sabha Question No. 2438 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: Use of Social Media by Students
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2438

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 26.12.2018

## USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY STUDENTS

## 2438.   SHRI PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY:

Will the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether UNICEF India has come out with a child online protection in India report, which offers a glimpse into the risks and threats children face when they use the internet and social media and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  UNICEF  report  states  that  despite  there  being  about  400  million  internet  users  in  the country, a majority of which are the youth, there are no reliable figures on the extent, patterns and trends of child online abuse and exploitation because no comprehensive survey has been carried out, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) whether it is also a fact that around 43 percent of children active on social media claimed to have witnessed cruel behavior on social networks, while 52 per cent indicated that they had themselves bullied people over social media and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a) to  (c):  Yes,  Sir.  UNICEF  has  published  a  report  in  2016  on  Child  Online  Protection  in  India mentioning these issues.

Government has taken various steps to spread awareness among the users of cyberspace including children which, inter alia, include:

- (i) Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 provides for certain due diligence to be followed by Intermediaries which  includes social media.. The  Information Technology  (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011  notified under  section 79  of the Act, inter alia, specifies that the intermediaries  shall  inform  the  users  of  computer  resource  not  to  host,  display,  upload,  modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is grossly harmful , harms minor in any way ; violates any law for the time being in force; etc.
- (ii) Government issued Guidelines for Safe and Effective Use of Internet and Digital Technologies to all CBSE schools vide circular dated. 18.08.2017.
- (iii) Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  (MeitY)  has  initiated  Information  Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project for capacity building in the area of cyber security.  ISEA Project Phase II was approved in the year 2014 with an objective of capacity building in the area of Information  Security,  training  of  Government  personnel  and  creation  of  mass  Information  Security awareness targeted towards various user segments.
- (iv) Government  has  initiated  mass  cyber  security  awareness  project.    One  such  project  has  been implemented in North-eastern  states  of  Manipur,  Nagaland,  Tripura,  Mizoram  and  Sikkim  targeted towards creating awareness among youth and public including School / College students.
- (v) Ministry of Home Affairs has created a Twitter Handle 'Cyber Dost' to spread awareness on cyber safety and cyber security. MHA has also published a Handbook for Adolescents/Students on Cyber Safety.
- (vi) Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  (MeitY)  issued  advisories  on  'Blue  Whale Challenge Game' as well as 'Momo Challenge Game'. Minister of Women and Child Development, wrote to all the schools in India warning them about such games and to take immediate steps within the  schools  to  prevent  students  from  falling  prey  to  these.  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education (CBSE) also wrote to all the institutions affiliated to CBSE detailing the precautions to be taken on an online game.

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