At a recent cybercrime awareness event, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar called attention to the importance of exercising caution when it comes to children's online access. Kumar was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Cyber Awareness Months 2025 at the Mumbai State Police headquarters.
Recalling a disturbing past incident involving his 13-year-old daughter, Kumar, while referring to online multiplayer games that can be played with anonymous individuals, said, "My daughter was once playing a video game and this stranger messaged her asking where she was from, and her gender. When she replied 'female', the person, clearly a man, asked for her nude pictures. She stopped immediately and informed my wife. This is cybercrime, too. This is where cybercrime begins. Innocent children are lured in this way, then asked for obscene photos and videos, and later blackmailed. In some cases, it even leads to suicide."
At the event, Kumar requested the Maharashtra Chief Minister to include a curriculum on cybercrime in the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grades. "You all know that this crime is becoming even more serious than street crime. It is very important to stop it," he added.
Kumar also urged parents to strictly monitor their children's digital behaviour and create a safe environment where they can openly talk to their parents the moment they encounter an unpleasant situation. By sharing his experience, the actor sought to convey that there are pros and cons when it comes to online platforms and spreading awareness on the same is the need of the hour.