Lok Sabha Question No. 138 (STARRED), answered on 2018-12-19
Subject: Advisory to Internet Service Providers
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *138

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 19.12.2018

## ADVISORY TO INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS

## *138.   DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:

Will the minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government intends to issue an advisory to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for blocking and filtering objectionable images, texts and videos of children in an attempt to protect children from sexual abuse online and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  formulated  a  long-term  policy  to  deal  with  online  child sexual abuse and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c)  whether  the  Government  plans  to  undertake  any  programmes  or  campaigns  on  cyber bullying and to spread awareness as to how children should safely use / navigate the internet and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*138 FOR  19.12.2018 REGARDING ADVISORY TO INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS

………

(a) and (b):   Government has taken the following of steps to be implemented by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to protect children from sexual abuse online.

- (i)    Government  blocks  the  websites  containing  extreme  Child  sexual  Abuse  Material  (CSAM) based on INTERPOL's 'Worst-of-list' shared periodically by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is the National Nodal Agency for INTERPOL.  The list is shared with Department of Telecommunications (DoT), who then directs major ISPs to block such websites.
- (ii)   Government  has  ordered  major  ISPs  in  India  to  adopt  and  disable/remove  the  online  CSAM dynamically based on Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), UK  list.
- (iii)  Department  of  Telecom,  Government  of  India      has  requested    all  ISPs      to  make  suitable arrangement  to  spread  awareness  among  their  subscribers,  through  emails,  invoices,  SMSs, websites, etc,, about the use of Parental Control filters in the end-user machines/devices  .
- (iv)  Further, the Government has launched a portal namely www.cybercrime.gov.in to report CSAM or  molestation, Rape/Gang-Rape (RGR) or obscene  contents  on internet.  ISPs are asked to remove any valid CSAM/RGR/Obscene contents reported on this portal.

(c):  The  Information  Technology  (IT)  Act,  2000  has  adequate  provisions  to  deal  with  prevailing cyber crimes. Further, sections 354A and 354D of Indian Penal Code provide punishment for cyber bullying and cyber stalking against women. Further

- (i)      Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  issued  an  Advisory  on  4.1.2012  on  'Preventing  &  combating Cyber  Crime  against  Women  and  Children',  wherein  States/Union  Territories  have  been advised  to  specifically  combat  the  crimes  in  forms  of  cyber  stalking,  cyber  bullying,  child pornography and exposure to sexually explicit material etc.
- (ii)  The  Government  is  implementing  a  major  programme  on  Information  Security  Education  and Awareness (ISEA). A dedicated website for information security awareness (https://www.infosecawareness.in) has also been set up.
- (iii) Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued a circular on 18.08.2017 to all schools on safe and effective use of Internet and Digital Technologies in Schools and School buses.
- (iv)  Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched a portal www.cybercrime.gov.in for public to report complaints of child pornography and sexually explicit content.  MHA has also released a booklet:  'A Handbook for Adolescents/Students on Cyber Security' to create awareness among citizens especially students / children about various cyber threats that  can impact the children and ways to safeguard themselves against cyber crimes. The copy of the booklet is available in the following link:

https://mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/CyberSafety\_English\_Web\_03122018.pdf.

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