India is witnessing a surge in sextortion attacks, exacerbated by the rapidly evolving digital landscape and booming social media platforms. With over 500 cases reported daily in 2022 and cyber fraud losses amounting to 17.6 billion in the first four months of 2024, the problem has become industrial in scale. Despite these alarming figures, India still lacks comprehensive data to develop robust frameworks and strategies to combat this crime effectively.

This session, "Sextortion and Beyond: Enhancing Trust & Safety through Innovation and Regulation in APAC," will explore how the rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has intensified these threats, making them more pervasive and convincing. We will delve into the sophisticated tactics employed by cybercriminals and the failure of existing threat detection systems to mitigate these attacks.

Victims of sextortion often find themselves without adequate help and resources, relying on social media platforms that only offer limited support. Addressing this crime requires a multi-faceted approach involving various channels and ensuring comprehensive content removal. Social media platforms must adopt zero-tolerance policies and bolster their trust and safety teams.

Our discussion will focus on proactive strategies, including fortifiable technical solutions, comprehensive executive protection programs, and essential cyber hygiene practices. We will also emphasize the need for research, technological solutions, legal reforms, and localized responses to create a resilient digital environment. By examining regulatory frameworks and showcasing successful case studies, we aim to provide a holistic view of how innovation and regulation can enhance trust and safety, protect vulnerable populations, and combat these evolving threats. This session will also present key findings from our recent survey on sextortion awareness in India, highlighting the gaps in public knowledge and the challenges victims face in accessing support. The survey data will underscore the urgent need for targeted awareness drives and stronger reporting mechanisms. These insights will inform our discussion on crafting more effective, data-driven strategies to tackle sextortion and related cybercrime.