GOOD NEWS!!!! AS PER NCRB 2021 STATISTICS, PEOPLE IN DIGITAL INDIA ARE BECOMING DIGITAL LITERATES!

 

The National crime records bureau of India has recently published the statistics related to various crimes in India. According to this report Cyber-crimes have seen growth of only 6% as compared to growth of @15 % in last year. In 2018 reported Cyber-crimes were 27248, in 2019 the cyber-crimes were 44735 and in 2020 cyber-crimes were 50035. In 2021 the total cyber-crimes were 52974. It can be deduced that cyber-crimes saw huge growth of @ 65% in year 2019 whereas in year 2020 growth is only @15%. So, in fact it can be said that Cyber-crimes have gone down by about 50% as compared to its growth rate in last year. In 2021 the growth over previous year was only 6%. It can be seen that consecutively in second year Cyber-crimes have gone down by @50% year to year. This is very appreciable and also a sign that people are becoming more alert and more digital literate and sensible.

This rate of Cyber Crimes registered is a meagre 3.9 % of total Indian Population and chargesheet average rate is 33.8% across India. MP with 91.2 % and Delhi with 90.8 % have done exceptionally well while submitting the charge sheets in court after registration of FIR whereas Odisha 16.2%, Assam 15.9% and Telangana 16.4% needs to improve more along-with Maharashtra with 38.4%, Karnataka with 31.3% and Rajasthan 30%. The charge sheeting represents that investigation is completed and trial can be commenced.

As far as motives behind the cyber-crimes, it is disclosed by NCRB report that total 32230 crimes were related to Fraud, 4555 crimes were related to pornography and 8043 were related to other categories making a whopping 44828 i.e., about 85% of total cyber-crimes reported covered in these 3 categories only. Its high time that digital users be made aware about fraudulent activities as covered under fraud category so as to bring this rate down and save people from falling in traps laid by such cyber criminals.

As regards the statistics of different states are concerned, Uttarakhand 243 to 718 saw 200% growth whereas Telangana 5024 to 10303 and Delhi 168 to 356 saw 100% growth in Cyber-crimes. Assam saw @ 60% growth 3530 to 4846. Satisfactory part is that many states have witnessed negative growth also. 12 states out of 28 states saw negative growth in cyber-crimes and 2 U/T out of 8 saw negative growth as per NCRB report.

Comparative Statistics (2020-2021) of few big states are as below: Andhra 1899 to 1875, Bihar 1512 to 1413  Karnataka 10741 to 8136, Maharashtra 5496 to 5562, Madhya Pradesh 699 to 589 Uttar Pradesh 11097 to 8829 and West Bengal 712 to 513.

The statistics also highlights the Cyber-crimes in 19 Metros of India.

In 2020, total 18657 crimes were registered in Metros whereas in 2021, metros witnessed slight decrease in cyber-crimes with cyber-crimes going down to 17115 i.e., @8% decline. Bangalore retained the top spot with 6423 as compared 8893 last year, followed by Hyderabad, a distant second 3303 (2553 in 2020) and Mumbai catching fast for second position with 2883 (2433 in 2020). Nagpur with 193 crimes (243 in 2020) is at 13^th rank as compared to 9”th position in 2020. As compared to last year Nagpur witnessed 20% decline in cyber-crimes and Credit must be given to local police for the same. Mumbai witnessed 20% growth and Pune saw marginal decline of @ 5% in cyber-crimes.

Another interesting statistic about cyber-crimes in Nagpur is that the city has not witnessed a single crime related to credit-debit card fraud, ATM fraud, Online banking fraud, OTP fraud etc. in entire 2021. Out of 192 crimes, the NCRB statistics reveal that 115 crimes were reported under cheating (IPC 420 or fraud category) and @29 crimes were related to cyber stalking or sexual harassment etc. covered u/s 67/67B.

As regards motives behind the crimes are concerned the reports state that in 118 crimes motive was to cheat whereas 30 crimes were committed due to anger and in 18 crimes motive was sexual exploitation.

Being a keen observer of cyberspace since a decade, if these figures are to be believed then the credit must be given to various initiatives of the police and other Organisation for creating CYBER AWARENESS amongst masses.

HOW MUCH TO BELIEVE ON NCRB STATISTICS IS YOUR OWN CHOICE BUT IF NCRB REPORTS SO, THEN YES INDIA IS COUNTRY OF DIGITAL LITERATES!!!!!

 

Dr. Mahendra Limaye (09422109619)

Cyber Legal and Data Privacy Consultant

HAS INDIAN TWITTER USER DONATED TO AMERICA RELIEF FUND?

 

   

     HAS INDIAN TWITTER USER DONATED TO AMERICA RELIEF FUND?

 

  SURPRISED!!!!!!   Read the entire article to know the answer.

 

As per notification issued dated 25 May 2022, Twitter agreed with Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to Pay $150 Million Civil Penalty and to Implement Comprehensive Compliance Program to Resolve Alleged Data Privacy Violations. The settlement will resolve allegations that Twitter violated the FTC Act of USA and an administrative order issued by the FTC in March 2011 that Twitter misrepresented about how it uses non-public contact information of its users and coincidently March 2011 order was also a compromise settlement.

The US government, in fresh complaint, filed in 2019 had alleged that Twitter violated the FTC Act and the 2011 order by deceiving users about the extent to which Twitter maintained and protected the security and privacy of users’ non-public contact information. The US Government specifically, pointed that, from May 2013 to September 2019, Twitter told its users that it was collecting their telephone numbers and email addresses for account’s security purposes, but failed to disclose that it also would use this personal information to help companies send targeted advertisements to consumers. Twitter also falsely claimed to comply with the European Union-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks, which prohibit companies from processing user information in ways that are not compatible with the purposes authorized by the users.

Twitter was charged with engaging in deceptive acts or practices in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act, for its failures to provide reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public user information and to honour the privacy choices exercised by Twitter users.

The violations of the FTC act as described above was upheld on two counts. In First Count, Twitter has represented, expressly or by implication, that it uses reasonable and appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public user information. But in truth and in fact, Twitter did not use reasonable and appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access to non-public user information. And hence commission observed that the representation of respondent Twitter was, and is, false or misleading. In Second Count, respondent Twitter has represented, expressly or by implication, that it uses reasonable and appropriate security measures to honour the privacy choices exercised by users. But In truth and in fact, it was found that Twitter did not use reasonable and appropriate security measures to honour the privacy choices exercised by users.

The FTC concluded that acts and practices of Twitter constitute deceptive acts or practices, in or affecting commerce, in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

So, in a nutshell Twitter or for that matter No social media should be trusted regarding the privacy of the contents/information provided/uploaded through them.

FTC observed that Twitter had engaged in deceptive acts or practices by misrepresenting that user of protected account could control who had access to their tweets or could send private “direct messages” that could only be viewed by the recipient only when, in fact, Twitter lacked reasonable safeguards to ensure those choices were honoured. In other words Twitter is making fool of the users who believed that messages will remain Private or Protected.

It is open secret that Commercial entities regularly use Twitter to promote offers or advertise to consumers, and many tweets contain links to other websites, including websites that users may use to purchase commercial products or services. Twitter’s core business model monetizes user information by using it for advertising. It is reported that of the $3.4 billion in revenue that Twitter earned in 2019, $2.99 billion(@90%) flowed from advertising.

Twitter primarily allows companies to advertise on its service through “Promoted Products,” which can take one of three forms: (1) Promoted Tweets, which appear within a user’s timeline, search results, or profile pages, similar to an ordinary tweet; (2) Promoted Accounts, which typically appear in the same format and place as other recommended accounts; and (3) Promoted Trends, which appear at the top of the list of trending topics for an entire day.

Twitter also offers various services that advertisers can use to reach their existing marketing lists on Twitter, including “Tailored Audiences” and “Partner Audiences.” Tailored Audiences allows advertisers to target specific groups of Twitter users by matching the telephone numbers and email addresses whereas Partner Audiences allows advertisers to import marketing lists from data brokers and match against the telephone numbers and email addresses collected by Twitter.

Twitter has prompted users to provide a telephone number or email address for the express purpose of securing or authenticating their Twitter accounts. However, Twitter used this information to serve targeted advertising and further its own business interests through its Tailored Audiences and Partner Audiences services without mandatory disclosures.

The facts revealed that Twitter obtained data from users on the pretext of harnessing it for security purposes but then ended up using the data to target users with ads and this practice affected more than 140 million Twitter users, out of which 23.6 million were Indian users and also boosted Twitter’s primary source of revenue.

Consumers who share their private information have a right to know if that information is being used to help advertisers target customers under US Laws. It is no secret that all social media companies share such private information and can be held accountable.

It is highlighted through Footnote that A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the respondent that the law has been violated.

India has more than 23.6 million users on Twitter as of January 2022. If Twitter has agreed to pay @150 million dollars as a compromise settlement, then how much contribution every Indian Twitter user has made to this America Relief Fund? Yes about 6.5 $ or say Rs 500.

Just think seriously about the trap named social media laid for all, whose main intention is to gather the information. The social media companies on pretext of various security features and authentication/verification purposes go on collecting updated data from the users and by selling that data, are minting money. Just think, as a true national if you donate some amount proportionate to your data valuation to your own country, CAN YOU CHANGE FUTURE YOUR COUNTRY????

 

The present Twitter incident may be another eye-opener after 5 billion compromise settlement of Facebook with FTC in 2019. Who is getting benefitted by this money? This entire money is going into US treasury and at whose cost? Are 23.6 million Indian social media users are supposed to contribute in America relief Fund?

 

Its we, who have to collectively find out the answer for the same.

 

BECOME A PART OF CHANGE BY UNDERSTANDING THE DARKER SIDES OF THESE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS!!!!!

STOP SHARING INFORMATION THROUGH SUCH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS!!!

 

Adv. Dr. Mahendra Limaye

Cyber Legal and Data privacy Consultant

09422109619