Planning of acts of terrorism and major crimes have become quite easy during the last decade for its perpetrators spread across remote corners of the globe thanks to the instant communication coupled with the identity camouflage offered by the internet. In a bid to keep track of net users, Karnataka became the first in the country to exercise the powers conferred on states by the Information Technology Act 2000 and introduce the Information Technology (Karnataka) Rules 2004.

However, this commendable venture has been taken quite lightly by the cyber cafes in the City. Metrolife randomly checked out ten internet centres in the City and found that only one centre took the rules seriously. 
Section 2 listed under the subhead ‘Cyber Cafe’ in the rules states that the “cyber cafe owner shall not allow any user to use his computer without the identity of the user being established before him...”.

Permitted as proof are the photo identity card issued by any school or college or a photo credit card of any bank or passport or voter identity card or PAN card or driving licence or even an identity card issued by an employer. It is also mandatory for the cyber cafe owner to maintain a log register with the user’s name, age, sex and present residential address apart from the logged in time.

It is three years since a notification in this connection has been issued by the Information Technology (IT), Biotechnology (BT) and Science and Technology (S &T) Secretariat and circulated among the City’s internet cafes.

Violators
This reporter coolly walked into these centres and browsed without being asked any proof of identity: Net4U at Kodihalli main road in Kodihalli, Vanitha Cyber Cafe on Airport road in Murugeshpalaya, Verve at HAL 2nd Stage in Indiranagar, Raja Lakshmi cyber cafe at 3rd main road in L B Shastri Nagar, Shiv Cyber Cafe (Bazaar road) and Cyber Dream (Cambridge road) at Ulsoor.

The person at the counter at a cafe, ‘Stripes Enterprises’, at Ist stage, Indiranagar did maintain a log register but instead of asking for the all-important photo proof, he merely asked for name, age and residence, information one can easily lie about.

The staff at Net4U did have a long notebook with names and mobile numbers of visitors filled up but had a blank in the ID column. This reporter was not even asked the name. 

When another cafe owner was queried as to why identity proof was not being sought, he spoke on condition of anonymity, “When I look at the face of a person, I can judge if the person is coming her to indulge in some wrongdoing. If I feel suspicious, then I ask them some proof.” 

The employee at the RailTel Cyber Express at the City station was seen meticulously maintaining records. He refused to let this reporter touch the machines without a proper ID proof. “It is a government rule, I cannot violate it,” he replied.

Cafes penalised
M N Vidyashankar, Secretary to Government, Dept of IT, BT and S & T said, “The Cyber Crime Police has the authority to inspect the cafes. Cases have been registered against 19 cafes and they have all been convicted. They had to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 each for violating the rules. Twelve more cases are still pending and are being heard now. It takes a minimum period of two months to complete each case.”

The cafes are given a period of 60 to 90 days to pay the penalty. “Two cafes have shut shop due to their inability to pay the amount,” he added.

When queried if the enforcement could be made stricter in the face of such gross violation by the cafes, Vidyashankar said, “We plan to publicise the action taken against the cafes which have gone against the law so that it forces other cafe owners to abide by the law. Anyone who hears of such violation by the cafes can help by informing the cyber police station.”