Electronic devices play a significant and influential role in human life and contribute to the development and progress of society. However, at the same time, they have become one of the main and clear causes of the rise in crime, violence, and the breakdown of family structures—not only globally but also in the Kurdistan Region. This has raised major concerns among experts.
One of the most troubling trends recently involves young people being drawn into criminal behavior via social media platforms. Additionally, the widespread use of various electronic games among children has become a leading cause of violent behavior and imitating harmful practices due to excessive screen exposure. There has also been an increase in cases of betrayal, threats involving personal images, and sexual harassment—issues that are all exacerbated by the lack of censorship on social media and the low level of public awareness. These have all turned into serious threats that require urgent solutions to control the situation.
In the Kurdistan Region, the currently enforced law is Law No. 6 of 2008 concerning the misuse of communication devices. Comparatively, the Penal Code of Iraq is also applied in such cases. However, many legal experts believe that the law implemented in Kurdistan is outdated and in need of amendment. The world is constantly changing, and many relevant topics are no longer addressed in the current law. Moreover, the penalties in the Kurdistan law are far lighter than those in Iraq’s Penal Code, which reduces the intended corrective impact of punishment.
Unfortunately, there is an increasing number of electronic crimes even inside prisons, where the majority of the victims are women and young people. Common issues include threats, unauthorized sharing of private photos or videos, and cyberblackmail. If swift and strict reforms are not made to the existing laws and serious penalties are not enforced, and if awareness is not raised among families, society will face an even deeper crisis in the future—one that may become uncontrollable.
Among those who are actively trying to reduce these incidents are family violence prevention units. They have played a key role in raising awareness, establishing hotlines, and responding to emergency cases. Additionally, the role of the Family Peace Committee has been prominent, helping many people seek professional advice before escalating cases to court.
What we now need more than ever is stronger public awareness. From a religious perspective, many Islamic scholars have emphasized the importance of educating the public through mosque sermons, Friday speeches, and ongoing religious programs. Moreover, comprehensive planning is necessary to reach people and ensure community-wide awareness.
The education sector must also take serious responsibility in addressing this matter. While it is impossible to completely prevent the global changes that come with the digital age, people must be taught to use technology wisely so that it does not harm them or those around them.
By: sima hasib
