Comparative Analysis of Cyber Stalking Legislations in UK, US and India

Abstract

The Internet, with its vast connectivity and ample resources, provides an easy platform for committing crimes. Cyber stalking is one such offence, which has grown in the last two decades with the advent of cheap and fast internet connectivity. The Internet provides various means by which cyber stalking can occur. The lack of boundaries on the internet creates more risk for the users and as more and more people start using internet, the scope and complexity of this problem will only increase. More and more states are passing exclusive statutes for tackling Cyber Stalking, believing that their offline stalking statutes are not enough to handle different aspects of this issue. This paper analyses the different legislations passed across the world to tackle cyber stalking. With stalking itself being a comparatively fresh offence in India, it has been a late entry into the field of cyber stalking, with the first provision being made in 2013, in the form of Section 354 D of the Indian Penal Code. The article examines the shortfalls of this provision and the ways in which they can be tackled.