The internet has revolutionised the way we work, communicate, and live. But the digital era has also given rise to alarming forms of exploitation such as cyber slavery, a harrowing crime that blends the horrors of human trafficking with the complexities of cybercrime.
In cyber slavery, individuals are duped with promises of lucrative online jobs and later coerced into illegal digital activities. Victims are often lured through fake job offers and transported, sometimes internationally, to work under exploitative conditions. Once trapped, their passports are seized and they are forced to engage in activities such as online scams, fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes, and identity theft under threats of violence, starvation, or isolation. A chilling real-world example is the plight of Indian nationals in Cambodia. Drawn by promises of high-paying jobs, they were coerced into impersonating women on dating apps to defraud Indian men by luring them into fake cryptocurrency investments. Failure to meet targets resulted in brutal punishments, including physical abuse and deprivation of food and water.
The modus operandi of cyber slavery revolves around psychological tactics. Victims are initially enticed by glamorous offers. Once they find themselves in foreign lands and are far away from their support systems, they feel isolated and trapped. Fear of severe punishment keeps them compliant, perpetuating the cycle of abuse. The exploitation thus thrives on a mix of allure, deception, and intimidation.
Addressing cyber slavery requires a multi-faceted approach. In India, certain provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita are applicable: Section 143 penalises the trafficking of individuals for exploitation while Section 146 addresses unlawful compulsory labour. Additionally, the Information Technology Act, 2000 includes sections that can be invoked for crimes like identity theft, phishing, and hacking. However, there is no explicit provision in Indian law to address cyber slavery.
The proposed Digital India Act could serve as a transformative legal framework in this context by recognising and criminalising cyber slavery. It could also mandate digital job platforms to verify employers and job listings rigorously, thereby preventing the fraudulent recruitment practices that often lead to cyber slavery. Furthermore, the Act could bolster international cooperation mechanisms to streamline investigations and prosecutions of cross-border cybercrime, a critical factor in combating a globally networked issue like cyber slavery.
The absence of explicit legal provisions addressing cyber slavery highlights the inadequacy of current frameworks. Cyber slavery operates at the intersection of human trafficking and cybercrime, but laws in these domains often fail to integrate effectively. For instance, while anti-trafficking laws target physical exploitation, they fall short of addressing the digital dimensions of cyber slavery. Similarly, cybercrime laws focus on penalising acts committed online but rarely consider the coercion or the exploitation behind such crimes. The extraterritorial nature of cyber slavery further complicates matters. Offences often involve victims trafficked to foreign countries and coerced into targeting individuals in yet another jurisdiction. Although Section 75 of the IT Act and Section 1(4) of the BNS extend the application of these laws to crimes involving Indian networks or citizens, enforcement remains limited due to jurisdictional and logistical challenges.
Support systems for victims are also vital. Governments must establish robust mechanisms for the rehabilitation and the reintegration of rescued individuals, including legal assistance, counselling, and vocational training. Technology-based solutions — governments and private entities collaborating to create digital tools to dismantle platforms facilitating cyber slavery — are necessary too.
