Victims to Receive Legal and Psychological Support
In a major step to curb the rising cases of online sexual exploitation, the Government of India has introduced new measures. Under the new framework, any intimate or private images shared without an individual’s consent must be acted upon immediately. Social media platforms and the police will now be required to remove such offensive content within 24 hours of receiving a complaint.
It is noteworthy that the Madras High Court, on October 22, approved the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) prepared by the government. These guidelines not only grant victims the right to have such content removed but also ensure they are promptly alerted if the same material is re-uploaded.
Additionally, the new guidelines provide victims with legal assistance and psychological counseling to help them recover emotionally and mentally. This initiative follows the High Court’s directive issued in August 2025, in which the court had asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to clarify what steps victims could take to seek relief if their private photos or videos were leaked online.
