Supporters of the LGTBQ+ community say the need for better protection online has never been more urgent, with a 25% increase in cyberbullying in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to government figures released last month.

Cases of online bullying leading to suicide also increased from 10 in 2021 to 24 in 2022. Minorities often bear the brunt of bullying, experts say.

An interesting study shows that all five major social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X (former Twitter) – received low and failing scores on the safety index

Indians face routine day-to-day discrimination in the form of police harassment, extortion and abuse, despite the many reforms implemented since gay sex was decriminalized in India in 2018.

But what can improve the lives of the LGTBQ+ community in India? Of course, by safe and free use of social media where they will not encounter this harassment from users hidden behind a nickname. This is a hot topic not only in India but all over the world with many people becoming victims of cyberbullying sooner or later.

Activists in India say social media platforms should also implement a user-friendly "safe mode" to prevent people from tagging them or commenting on their posts. Experts in the field say the platforms could also improve reporting and allow users to report such incidents, even directly to the police.