Generative Ai and the Cyberbullying of Children in India

Legal Gaps, Risks, and Practice Based Policy Safeguards

Bibliographic Data

ID21817741
AuthorsRahul Jain (0000-0003-3786-8682, Bennett University), Gyandeep CHAUDHARY (0000-0002-6831-1142, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University)
Year2026
Volume27
Issue27
Pages7
Publication date2026-06-25
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBalkan Social Science Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1857-8772 • E-ISSN: 1857-8799
PublisherGoce Delchev University - Shtip (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.46763/bssr26272707j
OpenAlexW7167071221
LanguageEN
References cited31

The rapid evolution of generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) has fundamentally transformed digital interactions, while simultaneously intensifying the scale and complexity of cyberbullying against children. In India, wheredigital adoption among youth is rapidly expanding, Gen-AI has enabled new forms of online harm, including deepfakes, AI-driven impersonation, misinformation, and the generation of exploitative content. Despite a growing body ofliterature on cyberbullying and AI, the literature on their intersection within the Indian legal and policy framework remains limited. This study adopts a qualitative doctrinal methodology supplemented by a comprehensive overviewof key legislative frameworks, including the Information Technology Act (IT), 2000, Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) 2021, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act(POCSO), 2012, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. It also evaluates secondary literature to examine both normative structures and practical enforcement challenges. In addition, the study undertakes a comparativeassessment of regulatory approaches in jurisdictions such as the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia to situate India within emerging global governance trends. The findings reveal a significantregulatory gap, as existing legal frameworks remain inadequately equipped to address AI-driven cyberbullying, particularly in relation to synthetic content, anonymity, and algorithmic amplification. Structural challenges such as weak enforcement, limited digital literacy, and a lack of AI-specific safeguards further exacerbate children’s vulnerability, resulting in psychological harm, social exclusion, and long-term developmental consequences. This studycontributes to the emerging field of AI and child protection by (i) offering a conceptual integration of Gen- AI risks with cyberbullying frameworks, (ii) providing a comparative legal critique of existing regulatory regimes, and (iii) proposing a multilayered, child centric policy framework that combines legal reform, platform accountability, and ethical AI governance

Corporate governance · Data Protection Act 1998 · Enforcement · Generative grammar · Human rights · Law enforcement · Legislature · Normative · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Child Development and Digital Technology · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection

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