AajTak Reveals Identity Of Minor Girl Protesting Hathras

Priyanka Sutaria -

Twitterfolk have accused media network AajTak’s Minakshi Kandwal of doxing a minor who has participated in the online protests against the rape in Hathras.

The horrific caste-based incident of sexual violence at Hathras, Uttar Pradesh has once again brought the intersecting systemic issues of caste- and gender-based violence into the limelight. 

Although – and horrifically so – such cases are more common than the public believes; this particular instance has people across the country online and out in the streets protesting.

On 5th October, the hashtag #AajTakTargetsChildren began gaining traction, accusing the news network’s Minakshi Kandwal of doxing a minor girl. Kandwal has been said to have used a Facebook post by the minor to highlight the network’s stance of the protests being an ‘international conspiracy.’

Doxing is the bringing of private information (names, identities, contact details, etc.) onto a public platform with malicious intent.

Although laws against doxing in India are not particularly well-defined, it is nonetheless a violation of a minor’s right to privacy to reveal their identity publicly, and punishable under Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

It is extremely dangerous to publish a minor’s identity on a public platform for any reason. In specific situations, such as the volatile aftermath of the Hathras incident, this can lead to threats and violence against the minor in question.

Amnesty International, whose India chapter was recently forced to press pause the country, published a report in 2018 which reveals that the fear of doxing causes women across the world to silence themselves, self-censor, and often avoid or leave social media platforms. 

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Got a minute? Let's talk about #doxing! The internet is at our fingertips. We learn, do, stay up-to-date and in-touch with it and on it. But it's also at the fingertips of those who don't have the best intentions. The ones who bully, attack and use it for nefarious purposes. This harassment takes many forms, but one of the most insidious ones is doxing. Particularly for people from marginalised communities, having one's identity and information out in public is a terrifying and dangerous consequence of having an online presence. Currently, there are no clear laws governing doxing in India. @ministry.of.poetry and @daksh.kohli find out what doxing is in this video, and what it does. How can we combat doxing on a social level? What are the structural changes needed to bring it down? Tell us in the comment section.

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With the Hathras crime itself being politicised by caste disbelievers, and support for the rapists/murderers coming from politicians and Savarna groups, this additional breach of the law is one more crime against young women in this country.

As of 6th October, no official report has been made regarding AajTak’s violation of the law.

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