Lack of awareness hinders redress for online harassment victims

Staff Reporter  :
Online harassment victims are struggling to seek redress due to a lack of awareness and institutional mechanisms, as well as poor digital literacy and fear of stigma.
Despite the enactment of laws such as the Digital Security Act (DSA), 2018, and the Pornography Control Act, 2012 victims of online harassment and bullying are still struggling to get redress due to a lack of awareness and institutional mechanisms.
The issues were came up during an “Advocacy Dialogue: Recommendation for strengthening service provision and protection mechanism for citizens who are victim of online crimes and harassment,” jointly organized by the European Union (EU), DNET and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, in a city hotel on Monday.
Many victims are unaware of where to seek redress for online harassment and bullying. The eight cyber tribunals established to redress such cases have not been widely publicised, and people often fear approaching police stations due to the stigma associated with being a victim of online harassment, Independent consultant Mozahidul Islam said in his presentation.
This lack of awareness has resulted in institutional-level practices not taking place, leaving victims without any recourse, he added.
Moreover, poor digital literacy is exacerbating the problem. Many people lack adequate knowledge on how to manage social media, leaving them vulnerable to online harassment and bullying. As a result, online digital literacy has become a must in today’s digital era, he noted.
To address this issue, the government needs to take immediate action to strengthen laws, putting aside the controversial provisions from the exiting DSA.
The digital literacy needs to be incorporated into the national curriculum, creating awareness among the people about their rights to privacy and safety in the digital space.
Online harassment and bullying are serious issues that require immediate attention. It is the responsibility of the government to create awareness among the people and establish institutional mechanisms that can effectively redress such cases, he said.
Taif Hussain, the Program Manager of the European Union, “It is important to consider one’s behavior and awareness in the offline world. Your online behavior can be affected by your offline conduct if you’re not a civilized citizen in real life.”