Develop digital forensic infrastructure to deal with Dark Web: NHRC chief

NEW DELHI: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson Justice Arun Kumar Mishra on Sunday expressed concern about the Dark Web and the threat it poses to society, adding that there is a need to develop a digital forensic infrastructure to deal with it.

Speaking at a Constitution Day event, the former Supreme Court judge also said that public interest litigations (PILs) should not be used for political purposes.

“We live in the digital era which is helpful for progress and development. There is a phenomenon of increasing the number of internet users. However, 96 per cent of the cyberspace is the Dark Web. It is used for criminal purposes such as exploitation of children, destroying the right to privacy, modern slavery, trafficking, and demanding ransom by data hacking...it must be stopped,” the NHRC chief said.

“We must invest and develop a broad-based digital forensic infrastructure to tackle the misuse of cyberspace and criminal commerce. At the same time we have to ensure the digital divide is not there.”

Noting that several reforms have been brought in through PILs, Mishra said, “PIL is useful, however its misuse for political purpose must stop.”

He also said that to ensure that the goal of the Constitution is achieved, violence-free elections must be ensured.