India’s internet boom has brought opportunity, connection, and access to millions, but it has also ushered in a darker reality for a growing number of its citizens, particularly its youth. Cyberbullying, the deliberate use of digital platforms to harass, threaten, or humiliate others, is no longer a fringe concern. It is a crisis hiding in plain sight, and one young activist is determined to drag it into the spotlight.
The Scale of the problem
Unlike physical bullying, which is bound by geography and time, cyberbullying follows its victims home. It hides behind anonymous usernames, persists across social media platforms, messaging apps, and forums, and leaves a permanent digital footprint. Its forms are varied and insidious: repeated harassment, impersonation through fake profiles, doxxing, the non-consensual sharing of private information, deliberate online exclusion, and cyberstalking that leaves victims in a state of constant fear.
The numbers tell a sobering story. A 2024 WHO Europe study found that roughly 15% of adolescents globally have experienced cyberbullying, up from 12% in 2018. India, however, stands at a staggering 37%, among the highest rates anywhere in the world. The problem is not confined to schools. Women account for 33% of all cybercrime victims in India, and the harassment increasingly extends into professional spaces.
An NCERT study underlines the academic cost of this crisis: 30% of students who reported being cyberbullied also reported a noticeable decline in their academic performance. Beyond grades, the psychological toll is profound. Victims experience chronic trauma, eroded confidence, and social isolation. In the most extreme cases, relentless online abuse has contributed to young people losing their lives.
Where the law falls short
India is not without legal recourse. The Information Technology Act of 2000 addresses cybercrimes, including identity theft under Section 66C and the transmission of obscene material under Section 67. The Indian Penal Code contains provisions around defamation, criminal intimidation, and anonymous threats. But the legislative framework has significant gaps. Section 66A, which once covered offensive online communication, was struck down by the Supreme Court for being too broadly worded, leaving an important gap in protections.
Critically, no law in India specifically defines or addresses cyberbullying as a distinct offence. There is no mandatory reporting mechanism, no dedicated victim support infrastructure, and limited training for school counselors to distinguish the particular psychological damage caused by online harassment from that of traditional bullying. The result is a system where perpetrators frequently face no consequences, and victims, discouraged by stigma and a lack of structured support, suffer in silence.
Aaryamann’s response
Into this gap has stepped a young student, Aaryamann Goenka, a 16-year-old passionate child from Bombay International School, whose response has moved from classroom awareness to national advocacy. Beginning at the grassroots level, Aaryamann helped organise the Brush of Hope art exhibition at their school, a creative installation built around the story of a cyberbullying victim, followed by an expert panel discussion and the distribution of Hindi-language booklets to students, staff, and their families. Extending the campaign beyond a single institution, he co-led multiple interactive sessions reaching over 1,000 students across multiple schools, and helped build YourCyberDost, a website providing educational resources on cyberbullying and helpline information for victims. Aaryamann’s operational website includes a pledge encouraging users to commit to kinder, more inclusive online behaviour.
Now, the campaign has taken its most significant step yet: a formal petition to India’s lawmakers, which has already gathered over 1,300 signatures.
The petition: Five demands for change
The petition calls on parliament to enact comprehensive anti-cyberbullying legislation, not a patchwork of amendments, but a dedicated law. It outlines five specific requirements. First, that all forms of online abuse be legally defined, closing the ambiguity that currently shields offenders. Second, clear and proportionate penalties should be established as a genuine deterrent. Third, that dedicated cyber cells be mandated to investigate reported cases swiftly. Fourth, that victims receive access to mental health counselling, legal aid, and school-based support to help them recover. Fifth, and notably, the law also provides restorative justice for perpetrators, reflecting an understanding that accountability and rehabilitation are not mutually exclusive.
Why now
The urgency is not manufactured. With a skyrocketing proportion of Indian children now using the internet regularly, the digital world is not a secondary space; it is where formative relationships, identities, and experiences are built. As that world expands, the harm done within it grows proportionately. The petition’s message is direct: without legal reform, educational intervention, and community-level awareness, this crisis will only deepen, and the next generation of Indian internet users will bear the cost.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author/authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members.
