The Missing Link Trust (MISSING) and CyberPeace Foundation (CPF) in association with PVR NEST, today announced the release of a first-of-its-kind Public Service Announcement (PSA) video to bring awareness to combat the heinous crime of online child trafficking. The Video released as part of a public advocacy initiative was unveiled at PVR Sangam cinema, R K Puram, New Delhi at an event presided by the honorable chairperson of The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Shri Priyank Kanoongo, and was graced by the director of NBT, Shri Yuvraj Malik, as a special guest. Missing Link Trust, CyberPeace Foundation and PVR NEST have collaborated by investing in preventative measures against cybercrimes, especially child trafficking.
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The Honorable Chairperson of The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Shri Priyank Kanoongo Commending The Public Service Video to Combat High Rate of Online Child Trafficking
The PSA sheds light on the different forms of online exploitation and the alarming rise in CSAM since the onset of the pandemic. It features a narrative that represents the real-life experiences of many young children in India, showcasing how they can fall prey to online traffickers even from the perceived safety of their homes. The PSA serves as an influential tool to engage the public and evoke emotional responses that can lead to positive change.
Inaugurating the event, Shri Priyank Kanoongo said, “We commend this significant effort by MISSING and CPF, which underscores our collective responsibility to protect children from online trafficking. It is of utmost importance that all stakeholders work in harmony to create a safer digital space for our children. Awareness generation and education are powerful tools in this fight, and this PSA video is a commendable step in that direction.”
A panel discussion on the subject of child safety which intensified post pandemic was organized on the occasion where experts from NCPCR, Meta, CyberPeace Foundation, The Missing Link Trust discussed possible solutions. Moderated by Abhishek Singh, Lead for Policy and Advocacy, CyberPeace Foundation, participants included Shri Priyank Kanoongo of NCPCR, Leena Kejriwal, Artist and Founder The Missing Link Trust, Major Vineet Kumar, Global President of CyberPeace Foundation and Lt Col NISHANT SINGH, Head, GRAMAX Cybersec, GMR Group.
Leena Kejriwal, Artist & Founder, The Missing Link Trust said, “India has recorded the highest number of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) reports, reaching a staggering 24 lakh cases. The pandemic further exacerbated the situation, with an increase in the unsupervised presence of children online. This has led to a disturbing surge in online exploitation, with children encountering age-inappropriate content and potentially dangerous strangers, creating a severe psychological impact on them and their families.”
Major Vineet Kumar of CyberPeace Foundation said, “The security, education, and awareness of the younger generation is undeniably foundational to the future of any great nation. Addressing the vital issues pertaining to online child safety becomes a shared responsibility that we must collectively bear. This initiative to launch the Public Service Announcement (PSA) is designed to significantly amplify nationwide awareness. We are witnessing a concerning rise in cybercrimes such as cyberbullying, cyber-enabled human trafficking, online harassment, and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), emphasising the critical need to develop a solid mechanism that augments safety, instills best practices like cyber ethics, digital routine, and promotes active reporting. These steps will not only enhance awareness but also protect the rights of children in cyberspace. We are in dire need of more PSAs and expansive platforms like PVRs to broadcast these crucial messages on a broader scale. This marks the onset of a new wave of awareness concerning online child safety, signaling that this is merely the beginning of our journey towards a safer online environment for our children.”
Deepa Menon, Founder Head, PVR NEST said, “We take pride to associate with The Missing Link Trust to get more advocates to join this movement through our community reach accessible through public spaces such as Pink Centres and Garima Grih that we run in densely populated areas of Delhi. Through our powerful reach we aim to bring awareness on this social evil among the communities while using our powerful medium of cinemas to combat the heinous crime of online child trafficking among the masses and invite dialogue from the public about this burning issue.”
