Introduction
In recent news, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a directive to all States in India to pay urgent attention to and officially register all First Information Reports (FIRs) derived from complaints received via the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal. This move comes as part of an increased nationwide focus on rising cybercrime rates.
Low FIR Conversion Rates
The Ministry of Home Affairs noted that only 2.5% of total complaints registered on the portal are successfully converted into FIRs. The MHA is seeking to amend this by urging states to prioritize the process of converting complaints into FIRs.
Cyber Crime Volunteers
The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal also offers a platform for interested parties to join as Cyber Crime Volunteers. This initiative is intended to promote greater participation in identifying, reporting, and helping remove illegal or harmful online content, thereby playing a vital role in curbing cybercrime.
Increase in Cybercrime Cases
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data indicates a concerning trend in cybercrime. Cybercrime rates have witnessed an increase of 63.5% in 2019 compared to 2018. This has amplified the need for more stringent measures to counteract the rise in cyber offences.
Benefits of the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal was launched in 2019 as a citizen-centric effort to combat cybercrime. It offers a direct channel for citizens to report crimes. The portal is particularly focused on tracking down crimes against women and children, such as child pornography, child sex abuse material, and online content related to rape and gang rape cases. Other forms of crime it focuses on include financial fraud and social media related crimes like stalking and cyberbullying.
Budapest Convention
Recognizing the international nature of cybercrime, the Council of Europe initiated the Cybercrime Convention, also known as the Budapest Convention. While providing a legal framework for international cooperation in combating cybercrime, India has chosen not to participate in the convention yet.
Recent Initiatives to Tackle Cybercrime
Several new initiatives have been launched by the Indian Government to tackle the increasing problem of cybercrime. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) aims to centralize cybersecurity investigations and promote the development of response tools.
The Draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018 recommends measures for securing citizens’ data. The Cyber Swachhta Kendra or Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is another one such initiative.
Last but not least, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), the nodal agency dealing with cybersecurity threats like hacking and phishing, plays a pivotal role in maintaining the security of Indian cyberspace.
