DEF and OLX India Launch Initiative to Counter Online Abuse

Online abuse, trolling and cyber bullying are rampant in cyberspace. Research by software security firm Norton found that 76 per cent of women under age 30 have faced some form of online abuse or harassment. The problem is a pertinent one in an age where social interactions, education and professional activities take place via a digital medium. It is important to note that many of these women never report incidents out of societal fear. It is crucial that when faced with harassment of this kind, people are aware of the options available to them to counter this abuse.

Consumer awareness programme Women Act Against Trolls (WAAT) provides a central web resource at projectwaat.org. The web page compiles information about cybercrime cells in India, cybercrime laws in the country, digital security tool kits, resources to help those facing cyber bullying, and a discussion board where people can share their stories. 

This initiative is a part of OLX WebAware, a consumer safety initiative by OLX to educate its users about safe online practices and guidelines, when transacting on its platform.

 The web resource will aim to build resilience and a community of support for those who have faced online abuse in order to keep them online.  Additionally, DEF and OLX will host workshops in colleges in NCR to educate users on basic digital security tactics that should be used by everyday users.  

“Social media is full of incidents of online abuse, trolling and cyber bullying on a daily basis. In the last few years, the number of abusive and unwanted intruders and trolls has only increased on social media and people are losing their right to express themselves freely or fear the abusive counter. In other words, virtual public spaces are often spaces that are antisocial, violent, intimidating, unfriendly, untrustworthy and unsafe. There is a need to tackle this issue, and sensitively,” says DEF Founder-Director Osama Manzar.

Said, Irwin Preet Singh Anand, COO, OLX India, “Online trolling is a reflection of the ailments plaguing our society. Limiting them requires a mind-set change more than anything else. There is a huge gender gap in the internet population, one big reason for this is the insensitive behaviour towards women users. Our CSR initiative supported by Digital Empowerment Foundation, is to do our bit to empower women to discourage such behaviour and to help them navigate to report incidents. While WAAT offers knowledge and support, it is our collective duty to create safer online space for all”