NCW Proposes Comprehensive Cyber Law Reforms to Protect Women from Digital Harassment and Deepfakes

New Delhi:

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has submitted a comprehensive report to the government calling for significant reforms to India's cyber laws to create a safer internet environment for women.

The report outlines several key recommendations including mandatory removal of non-consensual intimate content within 12 hours, stricter penalties for cyber offenses with specific inclusion of AI-manipulated imagery (deepfakes) and online grooming as punishable offenses, and extending digital harassment protection to remote workplaces under the POSH Act. These proposals encompass amendments to the IT Act, new data protection and criminal codes, and other essential legislation to enhance digital rights, enforce platform accountability, and improve victim support systems.

Titled "Digital Rights, Privacy Protections, and Platform Accountability," the report has been forwarded to multiple ministries including Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology, Women and Child Development, and Home Affairs. It advocates for a thorough restructuring of India's cyber legal framework with a gender-sensitive approach. The extensive document contains over 200 actionable recommendations developed through year-long national consultations with hundreds of experts, aiming to address institutional and legal gaps in combating cyber offenses against women.

NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar emphasized that technology should serve as a tool for empowerment rather than exploitation, ensuring women feel "confident, informed, and secure" in digital spaces.

The Commission's recommendations propose amendments across multiple legislative areas. For the Information Technology Act, 2000, suggestions include enhanced penalties for offenses against women, criminal action for threats to share private content, establishment of a mandatory Victim Compensation Fund, and appointment of district-level psychologists. The IT Rules, 2021 should require account verification, explicitly include deepfakes, introduce specific rules for gender-based harassment, and mandate platform transparency and AI audits.

Regarding data privacy, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 should require mandatory removal of non-consensual content within 12 hours, implement stricter consent norms, and introduce tiered penalties for gendered data misuse. The POSH Act, 2013 should be expanded to cover digital harassment and remote workplaces, while the POCSO Act, 2012 should recognize digital manipulation and online grooming as offenses, holding social media platforms accountable for failing to report abuse.

Under the new criminal codes, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 should incorporate offenses like cyberbullying, trolling, and deepfakes, requiring intermediaries to remove harmful content within 36 hours. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 should recognize metadata and temporary files as crucial digital evidence. The report also recommends modernizing evidence laws to ensure quick recording of victim statements under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Additionally, the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 should be updated to cover online and OTT content, with a 48-hour recourse mechanism.

The report's overarching objectives include strengthening digital rights, promoting platform accountability, enhancing forensic capabilities, and fostering digital literacy through preventive awareness campaigns.

Law and Justice Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, who participated in the final consultation, praised the NCW's "proactive efforts in driving reforms that safeguard women in the digital space."

According to the National Crime Records Bureau's Crime in India 2023 report released in September 2025, there has been a dramatic 31.2% increase in overall cybercrime cases nationwide—rising from 65,893 in 2022 to 86,420 in 2023. Fraud, extortion, and sexual exploitation constitute the majority of these cases. This surge disproportionately affects women, as evidenced by state-level data such as Chhattisgarh's 36% increase in cybercrimes (to 1,067 cases), where nearly 19% involved online harassment, including cyberstalking and sharing of obscene content.