CAUTION – The Dark Side Of The Internet

Written by: Ahmad Babar
The most successful are those who learn from other’s mistakes and it’s about time we all start doing that. I am going to be very blunt in this article. Over the past few years I have time and again come across “leaked” pictures and videos, most of them unfortunately are self shot, of girls who send them to their boyfriends, mostly blinded by love, and trusting them with it. The sad part of it all is that around 95% of these pictures and videos, if not all, get leaked and spread like wildfire over the internet and the MMS/Bluetooth network and also at most of the mobile repair shops, where they are sold at for around Rs. 100 per video clip. Also, there are websites who thrive on such pictures and videos and base their content mostly on these. 90% of these pictures show girls topless, completely nude and/or in seductive poses which they strike for their boyfriends and the most common of them all, couples kissing, either shooting those by themselves or their boyfriends/girlfriends doing the camera work. Some of these pictures and videos are even shot by hidden cameras installed by perverts looking to cash in. Irrespective of the method they are shot in, the result is inadvertently always the same, them getting leaked and spread all over. I know of cases in which the girls and/or their families have attempted suicide after finding out about such pictures and videos of them being leaked.
The purpose of this article is not to tell you all not to get intimate with your partners or how to run your love life, those are personal issues, all I am trying to convey to you all, especially to the girls, is that you need to be careful and more aware of your surroundings. If your boyfriend wants to take pictures, record videos of either you two getting intimate and/or of your body, mark my words that in 95% of the cases the pictures and videos will get leaked, either while you are still with the guy or after your breakup. I have seen many incidents where a guy, in order to take “revenge” on a girl for having dumped him leaks pictures and videos of the two getting intimate. Also, it is common for guys who have these videos and pictures to show/share them with their other guy friends and inadvertently one of them ends up getting a hang of those pictures and well, by now you should know what happens after that. Further, if you are headed out to some guesthouse/motel/random place for a session of intimacy, be warned that there are hidden cameras installed in 80% of such places just for people like you, so, once again, beware. This warning also goes out to married couples, always be aware of your surroundings.
Another important issue that I want to point out here is that it is becoming common for couples to have intimate moments with each other over webcam. As they say, technology can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. With advancement in technology and at no or very low costs, software are available that allow for webcam videos to be recorded. A simple search on websites such as Youtube will result in one coming across thousands of videos in which the girl, thinking she’s only being seen by her boyfriend, not only strips down but also performs various acts, while the video’s being recorded and later, spread over the internet. Another related, but slightly different issue, probably a more grave one, is that of teenage girls performing such acts over the webcam for strangers in exchange of mobile cards. When I first heard about this, it didn’t really register and I decided to go undercover on the most popular chat portal for this, Yahoo Chat, under a fake id and started surfing these rooms. To my utter astonishment, girls were willing to perform Cyber-Sex for as little as a Rs. 250/- mobile refill card! The “rates” ranged from the Rs. 250/- card to a Rs. 1,000/- card and each girl had her own rates for the amount she will show and the acts she was to perform. Again, most of these videos are recorded and spread with the email id of the girls as a part of the title and the girls being bombarded by requests from the “wanna frandship wid me” group.
Having pointed out to you all the sad realities of what’s going on around us, in the land of the pure, let’s now come to what we, as a responsible society, can do. The first thing to do is to raise awareness about these trivial issues among the people we move around with. Start by sharing these details with and warning your family and friends about these.
The next step is to keep an eye on your younger siblings/children/nephews/nieces, both girls and boys, as unfortunately, boys also fall victim to such things, and monitoring their internet activities and keeping a tab on their cell phone usage, without trying to show that you are trying to impose restrictions on them, guide them and share with them the pro’s and con’s of the internet, while also respecting their sense and right of privacy. Keep an eye on the company they keep, and try to note even the smallest of changes in the way they carry themselves, dress up and talk, be on the outlook for event the smallest of hints. Further, we need to raise awareness on a larger level and need to condemn those who thrive on these pictures and videos.
Lastly, and most importantly, we need to lead by example and ensure that we ourselves don’t fall for such temptations.
Happy Reading!! Stay Pink!!