Launching the videos, Justice PS Narasimha remarked on the “insidious way” in which technology had entered the lives of children “seamlessly”. The Delhi High Court in a joint initiative with Delhi Police Thursday launched a set of “interactive videos on cyber bullying”, created to spread awareness among children and help them protect their privacy. The chief guest of the event was SC judge Justice PS Narasimha and it was attended by Delhi HC Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and other dignitaries including judges from district courts. Over 200 children physically attended the event and those from around 1,200 schools participated virtually. The HC also organised an ‘Awareness Workshop on Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse’. Launching the videos, Justice Narasimha remarked on the “insidious way” in which technology had entered the lives of children “seamlessly”. He said though the issue pertained to “online sexual exploitation abuse”, which occurs at a “pre-crime stage”, the interactive videos will tell children how to deal with such situations. While acknowledging that “awareness” was a key aspect, Justice Narasimha highlighted that there had been a shift in the court’s approach where courts were taking a “proactive step now” instead of “merely declaring the law, enforcing it in the form of judgments”. “We are the biggest stakeholders and we see how crime is committed, and case after case we see it is not being implemented. The laws are clearly laid down and when we take an extra step and seek to implement the laws, I think the purpose and object of enactment will be accomplished… In this proactive step, you move out in the corridors of the court and seek to implement it and for the process of implementation, you need the help and assistance of others,” he said. He said the awareness workshop and videos was a protocol which is “easily accessible”. “This collaboration (with Delhi Police) necessarily flows with the decision we take. The consequence of this is knowledge, strength and awareness,” Justice Narasimha said.

Speaking at the event, the police chief said: “Engagement of young members of our society with the videos will not only arouse their curiosity but will also have the much needed effect of word of mouth publicity of the objective” of the videos. Commissioner Arora added that the most important tool to prevent crime, especially against vulnerable sections like children, is awareness. He also highlighted that police are “working hard to enlarge the scope, volume and, based on the feedback, the quality of these awareness videos”, to make sure that the “message reaches as many children as possible in Delhi”. Delhi HC Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma highlighted that the danger in the online world was “anonymous”. He said, “Growing up, we were taught to be cautious of a stranger. But the world that our children have inherited which is no longer just the physical world we had but a whole new dimension online is more and more scary… The danger is anonymous, non-existent. The anonymity and ease of communication provided by the digital world enables predators to contact children from anywhere in the world making it difficult to track and combat these crimes.” He also said that “only parents are the well-wishers of children”.