There is nothing more personal and private than sex. Yet today our society is waking up to a very disturbing reality. One’s private life is no longer private. We are talking sex clips that are being shared on mobile text and voice messaging app WeChat.

Even as we talk about this deeply deplorable phenomenon that has come into our otherwise prim and prudish society, somebody somewhere must be sending video file of a couple in intimate rendezvous to friends and colleagues. But, really, what is the point of it all? What does anyone get out of it?

Encroaching into somebody’s private life this way is criminal. Whoever is doing this is being despicably immature and irresponsible. It is someone’s private moments that you may be making public this day. It could be yours or your family members’ tomorrow. Often it is only when things get on you that you feel the real pain.

Repercussions of such reckless and unfeeling acts can be dangerous. When private matters that should remain private are scooped up and made public, it can cause untold pain and embarrassment to individuals making their existence in society difficult. When they suffer indignity, some out of shame resort to ending their own life.

We have laws that criminalise distributors of sexual contents, but they are weak. A group of 2,300 people signed an online petition last year demanding specific and stringent laws against non-consensual distribution of sexual materials. But stricter laws against a thing as private as sex could give rise to a whole set of new complications. What Indian police are doing with people in hotel rooms should serve as an example.

Certainly we don’t want Ayatollahs under our bed sheet.

But we can, all of us together can, put a stop to it. We just have to be careful, especially young people, who tend not to think about consequences of making films while they engage in some private moments with their partners. If anyone is found distributing videos of such private nature, report to the police. All that is needed is a little cooperation among ourselves.

Much depends on and should begin with an individual, however. Things private and personal should be let to remain private and personal. Don’t film or let others film your private moments.

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