Digitally challenged: Public awareness, robust safeguards are a must
The Tribune Editorial: The country has more than 85 crore Internet users, who account for three-fifths of its population.
Updated At : 06:26 AM Oct 18, 2025 IST
INDIA’s digital dream is turning into a nightmare for more and more citizens. Digital India, a flagship programme launched by the Modi government 10 years ago with the aim of empowering the masses, is facing stiff headwinds in the form of frauds. The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of several cases of digital arrest, a fast-spreading scam in which money is extorted through deceit and intimidation. Fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials threaten to make arrests, freeze bank accounts or cancel passports; using this ploy, the callers force unsuspecting people to pay a ‘fine’ or ‘security deposit’ to avoid legal action.
