I'm gonna be donning the BIG BROTHER hat as it's a pretty serious topic that we'll be discussing today. It is about using social media responsibly and the devastating outcomes of sharing intimate stuff on such platforms. The intent here is to not only make you wary but to also ensure that you'll be equipped to bring out the REQUIRED LEVEL OF AWARENESS in those around you.
Recently the Delhi High Court, in order to safeguard adolescents, has directed the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) to create a programme that aims at educating about the legal implications of posting intimate content on social media or the internet. The directive was issued after a surge in cases was reported, in which victims claimed to have been sexually abused or blackmailed due to the sharing of inappropriate videos or photographs by their partners on social media.
The court had passed this order while denying bail to a person named Sakib Ahmed who befriended a minor girl, allegedly had sexual intercourse with her, recorded it, and then used it to blackmail the victim for repeated sexual favours. It didn't end there. When the victim wanted to get out of this relationship, she was abused, threatened and pressurised to convert to his religion for the purpose of forcibly getting married to the accused.
The first lesson that I want everyone to learn is how we lose control, giving in to the excitement of temporary pleasure! Once you hit that POST/SEND button, you immediately lose control of how the content is shared, distributed, stored, used and abused. If it reaches the hands (or rather the screens) of sexual predators (who were never the intended recipients), they will go to any level to use your content to abuse you.
"My privacy settings are top-notch; I'm safe," you would say. Nope! These sexual predators always find a way. The best thing to do? Refrain from sharing in the first place.
I'm sure I am being a buzzkill. Both adolescents and adults engage in sexting. If teens are doing it with their peers, that itself is quite a risky proposition, as the content is often shared in all the groups just for bragging. The bigger issue is when adolescents chat with adults. Though there are many ways to sext and still be safe, predators always find a way. I've seen criminals use another phone to take a picture even if you use apps that don't allow people to store these chats/pics/videos, or even allow screenshots to be taken.
Once it's out there, it's always out there
We live in a technologically advanced era that not only has made our lives easier but also possesses the power to ruin them beyond comprehension. I say this simply because the internet is known to have a very long memory. Once it's out there, it stays there almost forever.
Even if posts/emails/chats are deleted, there is a possibility of traces of it continuing to exist in the form of screenshots, isolated storage in the cloud, or in cached versions. That's not all! What has been shared today can resurface in the future at any time. It's quite the ticking time bomb that can potentially impact career prospects, marriage proposals, personal relationships, and everything else.
Trouble with the law
Did you know? Even if a minor gives consent for sexual intercourse, it's still considered statutory rape. On the same lines, there are many laws that we may unknowingly break. For example, pornography is banned in India. If an individual shares intimate posts with one individual, but it gets distributed to many without their knowledge, there's still a chance of facing legal troubles. The law is very strict and it's always better to be safe than sorry!
The ultimate wrecking ball for relationships
I've just given a hint above, but I've seen genuine relationships get destroyed just because of some post resurfacing from the past. In many cases, it's used as revenge by an ex to ruin the life of an individual just because things didn't work out between them. Irrespective of how much you trust an individual and send intimate stuff today, you really need to ask yourself: Will it be the same in the future?
There's really no easy way to say this — it's best to refrain from sending intimate content in any form anywhere. My main intent today is to give you a peek into the future of how this instant gratification can lead to devastating outcomes. But if you still want to risk it, tighten and tweak the privacy settings of all your social media, chat, and other content-sharing apps. Stay away from engaging with strangers until and unless you get a chance to verify their intent and identity.
Last but not least, irrespective of how genuine one seems, stay away from anyone who appears too eager to get physical. Form meaningful relationships and allow things to proceed naturally. Don't put yourself in a position that'll force you to compromise in any way. Trust me, it's in our hands.
Keep it real and stay safe folks.
With Regards,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
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