Internet & Women: We Clearly Didn't Sign-up For Something Like This

Who’d know better about how to handle the internet safely other than women? They are undoubtedly the most harassed user segment on the internet. They are terrified to get into the base industry of technology because they don’t trust internet security nor does the technology companies ensure them safety.

According to a 2017 survey from Pew Research Center, women and men experience and view online harassment very differently. The survey found that, while 41 percent of Americans have experienced online harassment, women experience sexual harassment at much higher rates than men. Women are also more likely to report that the emotional impact of the harassment is more damaging, and to view online harassment as a serious issue. Seventy percent of women said they thought online harassment was a major problem while only 54 percent of men said the same.

Seventy percent of women said they thought online harassment was a major problem while only 54 percent of men said the same.

The rapid growth of the internet and widespread circulation of information through all technical devices has presented new opportunities that could put users at risk, so it’s important to be mindful of the dangers. Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, etc., are some of the sites that allow the users to take pictures of themselves. Ovoo, Skype, Google Duo, etc., are some of the sites that allow the users to video call. All of these sites are undoubtedly helping the user to connect to people and improve communication but how many of them are safe? And how many users are aware that a picture taken or a video call through a site probably can save your picture or call at their backend?

All the users, especially women have to be extremely cautious while they are on the internet. It’s becoming more infectious than being informative and connective. Scamming from sites to photoshopping images, intruding the privacy to publicly posting information without the user's knowledge, the internet has given people a platform to do it all. “We clearly did not sign-up for something like this.”

 This blog is a part of the Digital Trust Dialogues being held across colleges in India.

Also Read: Online Safety: Take A Leap On The Internet, But Be Smart, Say Experts