Children becoming more vulnerable to cyber criminals

A few days ago, a woman arrived at the Cyber Bureau of the Nepali Police accompanied by four minor girls. One of the girls was 12-year-old Rita KC (name changed). She appeared visibly disturbed, displaying signs of fear and trauma. She was reluctant to open up and engage in a conversation. KC resides in Bhaktapur with her father, elder brother, and younger sister. Her mother is employed as a teacher outside the city, while her father works in an office. She was an ordinary twelve-year-old girl, fond of social media, until she had a sudden change of behavior. Her family members noticed it first. KC began spending long hours in the bathroom, preferred solitude, and seemed to have lost interest in attending school.

During counseling, the police reached a distressing conclusion that KC had become a victim of online sexual abuse. The police investigation uncovered a deeply disturbing pattern of events. It was revealed that KC had initiated an online communication with an individual, who was notorious for creating fake identities on Facebook and targeting underage girls. The man would manipulate his victims into sharing their photos, which he would then superimpose with explicit images. He sent the altered pictures back to his victims and blackmailed them into sending their nude pictures and videos.

KC was one of several victims who had fallen prey to this predatory man. In fact, he had also tried unsuccessfully to target three of KC’s friends. KC shared her story to her friends  when the man started pressuring her into meeting him. Her friends suggested that she confide with her mother, who decided to take the matter to the police. Police Inspector Raj Kumar Khadgi of the Cyber Bureau says they apprehended the suspect from Ghattekulo two weeks ago. He had been living in a hostel, and police have recovered compelling evidence indicating his involvement in multiple online sexual blackmailing schemes. Police records show this is not an isolated incident. There has been a disturbing trend of school-going children falling victim to digital crimes. According to the Cyber Bureau, it received a total of 4,646 cybercrime complaints in the fiscal year 2021/22. The majority of these complaints (3,956) were related to online abuse and harassment through Facebook Messenger. Shockingly, within the first 10 months of the current fiscal year 2022/23, the bureau has already registered 4,568 cybercrime complaints. Again, the majority of these complaints (3,509) involve abuse and harassment perpetrated through Facebook Messenger. Over the course of the past five years, a staggering 479 school-going girls have fallen victim to such crimes; 146 school-going boys have also been targeted. This year alone, the bureau has registered a total of 625 cyber crime cases involving minors across the country. These cases encompass a range of offenses, including harassment, sexual abuse, hacking of accounts, creation of fake identities, defamation, and blackmailing. Records show that 128 of these cases are related to pornography. In the previous fiscal year 2021/22, a total of 3,906 cyber crime cases were registered. Among these cases, 2,003 victims were female, while 1,471 were male. The rise of cybercrime has become an alarming issue in recent times, primarily due to the widespread accessibility of the internet and the increasing prevalence of smartphones, say police. School-going children, in particular, are vulnerable. SSP Navindra Aryal, the director of the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, says without proper parental supervision, children are at high risk of becoming victims as well as perpetrators of cybercrimes. It doesn’t take long for children to get exposed to pornographic images and videos when they have easy access to smartphones and the internet. With approximately 97 percent of Nepal’s population using smartphones and 75 percent having internet access, the potential for misuse and the subsequent occurrence of accidents and crimes has also increased. SSP Aryal emphasizes the importance of implementing control mechanisms to protect children. He suggests parents need to monitor and regulate the phone usage of their children. Child psychologist Ganga Pathak says since mobile phones and the internet are valuable resources for children, it is not appropriate to completely deny children access to these technologies. However, he adds, there is a need to monitor their online activities. Pathak says it is the parents who should encourage their children to use the internet as a learning tool, and not just as a source of entertainment and communication. Psychologist Karuna Kunwar says children who develop an addiction to the internet exhibit distinct behavioral changes, such as becoming withdrawn in social situations and avoiding real interaction with their friends and family members. Parents and teachers should pick up on these cues and counsel such children, or seek professional help, she adds. To address the growing issue of digital crimes against children, the Nepal Police has undertaken various initiatives. Cyber awareness programs have been conducted across all 77 districts to educate children and parents about the risks and preventive measures associated with digital crimes. However, the nature of cybercrimes poses many challenges in terms of detection and catching the perpetrators. The absence of a specific law to control and regulate social networks is a notable concern in Nepal. SSP Aryal emphasizes the necessity of legislation to control and prevent cybercrimes. The 35-day statute of limitations should also be lifted, he suggests, as it could impede investigation. But the ultimate onus, he says, lies on the parents whose responsibility is to be well-informed about cybercrime and to educate their children accordingly.