Influence of Social Media and Growth of Cyber Crimes – A Study

Internet today has become an inevitable part of our lives and it is difficult to imagine a life without the internet and social media. With the growing technology, fast spread of mobile information and social media, our lives have become dependent on online media for all the information and also provide platforms for easy communication across the globe. Technology while providing so many advantages poses threats to individuals and social media has become a haven for the criminals as it has given rise to crimes committed in the online world. The latest form of social media is available to all and there is no person left who is not astonished by the perks of the internet. The major reason behind the popularity of social media is that of anonymity and also the creation of a virtual world where people can share information, exchange pictures, become friends, play games, fall in love, fight etc. without having actually met. However, infringement of privacy has become common especially in cases of women where personal information like name, address, location, photographs etc. are misused by the offenders. The factor of anonymity and fakeness in social media and the jurisdictional issues has hiked the cyber violence amongst individuals of all age groups and poses a problem at a global level. The threats posed by social media can be seen on the security, privacy and also on the dignity of an individual. The paper discusses the influence of social media on the youth and the reasons for the growth of cybercrimes on social media. The paper also discusses the common type of cybercrimes taking place in social media and to analyse the role of law to identify and prevent cybercrime with the use of social media. The paper also recommends some steps to create awareness amongst the youth of the nation about the consequences of cybercrime holistically and efficiently