by Falak Riyaz
The internet itself is neither good nor evil. It reflects how it is used. When handled with care, it can bridge knowledge, connection, and growth. When abused, it becomes a trap of deceit and harm.
The internet appears to many as a space of limitless opportunity, amusement, and connection. Yet behind its glowing screen lies a world few recognise, a world where illusion thrives and danger hides in plain sight. In this realm, it is often impossible to know who truly exists behind a profile or message.
Identities can be forged, names stolen, and ages altered. What begins as friendship can end in betrayal, and what seems innocent can become perilous. Children and teenagers are particularly vulnerable because they believe in what they see, unaware of the deceptions woven through the web. The internet feels intimate and personal. People chat, share, and build trust with those they meet online, but in truth, they rarely know who sits on the other side. Fake identities, edited images, and convincing words make truth difficult to separate from lies.
During my fieldwork, I came across a story that revealed how fragile innocence can be in the digital world. A 13-year-old girl, studying in the eighth grade, unknowingly formed an online connection with someone she believed was a stranger. Over two months, she shared thoughts, laughter, and emotions, both using false profiles that concealed their real identities from their family. When the truth surfaced, it was devastating.
The person she had been communicating with was her own brother. A bond as sacred as that between siblings had been drawn into deception. The shock left her emotionally broken, and in her despair, she attempted suicide three times. This tragedy is a stark reminder that even the most sacred relationships can be corrupted by online anonymity. It is not an isolated story. Every day, young people become victims of emotional manipulation, grooming, and betrayal. The internet offers the comfort of companionship, but it often conceals predators disguised as friends.
There was a time when the family television served as a shared source of entertainment. Parents and children watched together, laughed together, and if something inappropriate appeared, the channel could be changed. Now, the story has changed. Each family member, including parents and children, owns a personal device filled with unmonitored content. Parents often have no idea what their children are watching or who they are communicating with. Technology has made privacy so individual that within homes, family members have become strangers to one another’s digital worlds.
Once, crime existed outside our doors. Today, it travels with us, carried in our hands through mobile phones and laptops. Technology has given us many benefits, such as instant communication, easy access to knowledge, and countless new opportunities. Yet when misused, these same tools become instruments of harm. Harassment, stalking, identity theft, and exploitation have all become invisible but persistent threats. The tragedy of cybercrime lies in its silence. Many victims remain quiet out of fear, shame, or disbelief. This silence emboldens offenders, allowing the cycle of abuse to continue unchecked.
Building a safer digital environment demands collective responsibility. Individuals, families, schools, governments, and communities must all contribute. The digital world recognises no borders, so the responsibility to stay safe rests with each of us. Awareness is the first line of defence. Children must be taught to question online interactions. Parents should nurture trust and openness so that children do not conceal dangerous secrets.
Schools need to include digital literacy in their curriculum, and society must treat cybercrime as a constant reality rather than a rare event. In this invisible battlefield, prevention is more powerful than punishment. Every person and institution has a role to play.
The internet itself is neither good nor evil. It reflects how it is used. When handled with care, it can bridge knowledge, connection, and growth. When abused, it becomes a trap of deceit and harm. The story of the young girl who unknowingly spoke to her brother is more than a tragedy; it reveals the fragility of trust in the digital age.
The web is not inherently dark. The darkness begins when it is navigated without awareness and responsibility. True safety does not come from isolation but from wisdom. If even our safest spaces can be breached by a screen, where does safety truly exist?
(The writer is a professional social worker with a master’s degree in social work. Ideas are personal.)
