This app will tell you all you need to know about online harassment and how to report it

KARACHI: Online harassment is something that everyone has been a victim of at least once in their lives. And for women, it’s definitely worse. Women are constantly attacked, abused, stalked and threatened online.

For all those women who’ve been suffering silently for the last couple of years, here’s some relief for you. An app called Hamara Internet has been launched by the Digital Rights Foundation, an advocacy organization that works to promote digital safety.

Amongst other things, the app contains a lot of information in both English and Urdu, regarding how to protect yourself online. Also, the app has also launched a cyber harassment helpline that is available to people looking for help on cyber bullying and stalking. The helpline operates from 9 am till 5 pm, seven days a week.

Furthermore, the app even provides assistance in reporting cyber-crime to the relevant authorities, such as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). All phone numbers are easily available on the app.

Cutacut got in touch with Nighat Dad, founder of the Digital Rights Foundation to ask about the loopholes in our cyber space that led to the invention of Hamara Internet. “After conducting sessions under the Hamara Internet banner with women across Pakistan, we were able to first hand observe the obstacles that they faced online,” she shared. “We set up the cyber harassment helpline as a resource for such individuals and having taking more than 1,200 calls within our first year we realized that much more needed to be done. Then we came up with the Hamara Internet app which is not only accessible to more people because of its language accessibility but is also helping people become more aware of what their online rights are and who they can reach out to in case of emergency,” she explained.

You can download the app here