About Online Hate Crimes
When an online post is motivated by ones extreme biased opinion on other persons race, religion, sex, disability, gender, food and other preferences that it is almost equivalent to a crime but falls short of being an actual criminal offence, it is online hate crime.
Sometimes people online can become quite biased and judgemental based on your color, creed, religion, race, sex , gender, and can post hateful comments which can be very spiteful and inflammatory and can even lead to violence.
Why should we be concerned?
It can lead to comments/messages/posts that are strong, insensitive, biased and one sided. The reactions are instigative, judgemental and socially biased and very disturbing.
Few pointers / warning signs
- Comments based on sex, religion, race, gender etc.,
- Physically threatening posts or comments
- Biased, judgemental and strong reactive posts
How can be safeguard ourselves against online hate crimes?
As the offence can be quite inflictive and disturbing, it is always better to care and be aware of few points while posting online like-
- Never post or support any kind of biased posts online
- Never retaliate or react, immediately to any biased or controversial post online believing it to be true.
- Be aware of general public perceptions while posting online remarks or comments on certain sensitive
What is the action to be taken in case we are affected by this offence?
- Register a complaint at your nearest cyber crime police station
- You also have the option to register an online complaint on cybercrime.gov.in anonymously also.
- Report about it to the social media account help centre
Know about what the law says with regard to this offence?
As per Law
This may attract Section 153A , 295A , 153-A (Depending on the nature of offence),
505, 509 IPC relevant Sub-Sections
It may also attract certain sections in IPC: Section 153A of the Indian penal code says,
Whoever (a) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, promotes or attempts to promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, or (b) commits any act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, and which disturbs or is likely to disturb the public tranquility, . . . shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) enacted in 1927 says:
Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of [citizens of India], [by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise], insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both.
