Teen Arrested in Bengaluru for Posting Obscene Videos of Women on Instagram

A 19 year old teen in Bangalore was arrested for uploading secretly filmed, objectionable videos of women to instagram. This is a concerning case that has raised serious discussions of social media impact, privacy issues, and seeking popularity online.  

What Actually Happened?

The accused, Dilavar Hussain MD, was an Instagram user and ran a page called Dilbar Jaani-67.  He recorded women without their permission in open places such as MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, Koramangala and Indiranagar. The uploaded videos were posted with the hashtag, ‘Bangalore Night Life', which was reportedly meant to grab the attention and the curiosity of the users of social media.

Hussain, a food delivery agent born in Manipur, has posted over 14 of such videos within three months. The information came to the notice of the police through routine surveillance and within record time a complaint was booked against the pernicious trend under the Information Technology Act, Section 67 that punishes the publication or transmission of obscene material through computer resources.

Social media and the cult of followers

The era of the digital age experienced a generation of content creators overstepping ethical lines to gain Internet notoriety:

1. Popularity and Peer pressure: Attaining followers has now become a show of status, which encourages people to go to very extreme measures in the name of sharing something trending.
2. Algorithm Rewards: The algorithms of any social media are inclined to reward the sensational or controversial post with more access and visibility, in case the post is inappropriate.
3. Anonymity and Easy Access: The convenience of anyone to record and share the contents of their mobile devices combined with the perception of anonymity encourages individuals to violate privacy regulations.
4. Attention Economy: Likes, share, and follow are now considered a sort of digital money, which in most cases can be above legal or moral issues.

Real-World Consequences

Legal action is swift, as seen in this case, with the police acting on their own without waiting for a victim's complaint. Arrests and FIRs disrupt the lives of the accused but also creates a powerful deterrent signal to potential criminals. Victims may feel distress and lose trust in public spaces.

Increasing trend: Street Life Content / Night Life Content

This sharing of videos that shows the city night life also referred to as street life is usually done at the cost of one person and this has caught pace on social sites. Hashtags and tendencies, such as #NightLifeBangalore is meant to feed the curiosity of the digital audiences, yet, there are certain cases when it crosses a line between amusement and invasion.

Bengaluru Police Response 

• The Ashok Nagar Police are keeping vigil on social media and acting against these online crimes.
• During this case, law enforcement officials immediately asked Instagram to delete the offensive profile.
• These are similar arrests that have been conducted in the recent past showing effective law enforcement.

Social Media responsibility is important

The case is a lesson that seeking online fame should never trump the concern of privacy and legality. What happened in Bengaluru is not an isolated event, but it is a turning point when the online community needs to take a hard look at the content that is regarded and promoted. Saving face of the people and the community is still more significant than popular hashtags or a viral status.