A question of balance in age gating for children of the internet

India's new cyber law on parental consent sparks debate on digital privacy and security

Police officer Pawan Kumar shows his worry when asked about cybercrimes. Kumar is a sub-inspector with the cyber cell of the Uttar Pradesh Police and specialises in crimes against minors. “I have been working with the cyber cell for almost nine years now. Things are just getting worse with each passing day. We are witnessing astounding levels of innovation and complexity in crimes against children,” he said, blaming artificial intelligence (AI).

A little over a week ago, Kumar and his team busted a gang of three in Katra, a town southeast of Bareilly, for digitally manipulating images of children below 12