In the heart of Srinagar, where the Jhelum River weaves through bustling markets and quiet neighborhoods, 13-year-old Ayesha sat cross-legged on her family’s worn rug, her eyes glued to her father’s old smartphone. The screen glowed with videos and messages from friends, a portal to a world beyond punctuated life in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Her mother, Rubina, watched from the kitchen, a flicker of worry crossing her face. Like many parents in J&K, Rubina knew the internet was a double-edged sword, a gateway to learning but also a minefield of dangers for her daughter. 

Ayesha’s story is not unique. Across J&K, children are diving headfirst into the digital age. Smartphones and cheap data plans have brought the internet to urban centers and remote villages alike, with internet penetration soaring in recent years. But with this connectivity comes a shadow. Cybercrimes in J&K jumped from 120 cases in 2020 to 173 in 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). For children, the risks are even more insidious, cyberbullying, online predators, deepfakes, and misinformation lurk behind every click. 

Rubina’s unease grew after hearing whispers of a local teen tricked by an online scammer posing as a friend. She had learned at a community meeting that cybercrime against children nationwide had spiked over 400% between 2020 and 2024, often involving explicit material or grooming. An analysis of the latest NCRB data by CRY (Child Rights and You) shows 1,238 cases were registered under the Information Technology Act in connection with........

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