PROTECTING DIGNITY IN CYBERSPACE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF JUDICIAL RESPONSES TO DIGITAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN INDIA
Ankit Yadav, Ph.D. (Law) - Research Scholar, University School of Law & Legal Studies (USLLS), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), Delhi (India)
The advent of digital technologies has transformed communication and access to information, but it has also given rise to a disturbing increase in cyber-enabled crimes, disproportionately affecting women and children. Online sexual harassment, cyberbullying, image morphing, and the circulation of child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM) are becoming alarmingly widespread, often slipping through the cracks of traditional legal mechanisms. In response to these emerging harms, the Indian judiciary has assumed a crucial role in safeguarding constitutional values, particularly dignity, privacy, and personal security, within the digital sphere. This paper critically examines judicial responses in India to the growing threat of digital sexual exploitation, with particular reference to significant judicial interventions and landmark decisions, including Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, In Re: Prajwala Letter and Just Right for Children Alliance v. S. Harish, among others. These decisions collectively reflect the evolving approach of the judiciary towards enhancing platform accountability, compelling state action, and strengthening protections against online sexual abuse, especially in relation to the criminalisation, circulation, and consumption of CSEAM. Through judicial directions on content regulation, technological safeguards, and preventive mechanisms, courts have contributed to shaping a responsive legal framework aimed at victim protection and digital safety. Drawing on a doctrinal analysis of Articles 21 and 19(2) of the Indian Constitution, this study explores how the judiciary has sought to balance freedom of speech with the pressing necessity of curbing online sexual offences, particularly those involving CSEAM. It further evaluates the broader implications of judicial interventions on regulatory and institutional frameworks, positioning the Indian judiciary as a pivotal force in fostering a safer, dignity-centered, and constitutionally compliant digital environment for women and children in India.
| 📄 Type | 🔍 Information |
|---|---|
| Research Paper | LawFoyer International Journal of Doctrinal Legal Research (LIJDLR), Volume 3, Issue 4, Page 2116–2145. |
| 🔗 Creative Commons | © Copyright |
| This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License . | © Authors, 2026. All rights reserved. |