CYBER LAW

Since the advancement of technologies in society, people are determined to make progress in the technological field and improve the existing technologies and introduce new technologies, through which various developments have taken place in the society which led to the creation of new technologies. Still, the greatest and important of all is the invention of the internet. But what was the need for the internet? Why was it introduced?  

The internet was introduced to reduce the communication gap and help people connect around the world and to gather information to increase knowledge about the political, social, and economic surroundings. But with time, this function of the internet has started being misused and people, rather than connecting and gaining knowledge, started committing crimes on it.  

In earlier times, crimes used to take place via computers. But, with the advanced technology, and with the emergence of android based, windows-based courses, all the crimes that may be committed through traditional computers can also be committed through mobile phones now.

Some of the examples of crimes that are committed through computers and mobile phones include-

1. Identity Theft
2. Phishing
3. Malware
4. Hacking
5. E-mail Bombing
6. Data Diddling
7. Salami Attacks
8. Forgery
9. Logic Bombs
10. Virus Dissemination
11. Electronic Money Laundering
12. Cyber Defamation
13. Vishing
14. Bluesnarfing

All these crimes are known as cyber-crimes and to deal with these crimes, cyber law comes into play.  

Cyberlaw is the law that deals with crimes that involve a computer and a network. In India, cyber laws are covered under the Information Technology Act, 2000, which came into force on 17th October 2000. The sole objective of the establishment of this Act was-

‍“to provide legal recognition to electronic commerce and to accelerate the filing of electronic records with the Government.”

Section 77B of the Information Technology Act 2000 states that all offences which are punishable with imprisonment of three years and above shall be cognizable and offences punishable with imprisonment of fewer than three years shall be bailable.

Cybercrimes which are punishable with imprisonment of three years or more are-

1. Section 67 of the Act, which talks about publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form
2. Section 67A of the Act, which talks about publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit Act etc. in electronic form
3. Section 67B of the Act, which talks about publishing or transmitting off material children in sexually explicit Act etc. in electronic form
4. Section 66F of the Act, which talks about cyber terrorism

CONCLUSION

In India, the internet is said to be the biggest development of the technology by mankind. People, rather than using it to their benefit, started misusing it and committing crimes, which is known as cybercrime. To manage the crimes, cyber law was introduced through the Information Technology Act 2000. It explicitly stated the type of cybercrime and its punishments.