A young woman in Kolkata has revealed her life has been devastated after private videos stored on her phone were allegedly leaked by staff at a mobile phone repair shop. What began as a routine repair turned into relentless online harassment, family estrangement, and social isolation.
Using the Reddit username Prior_Jackfruit4428, she described her mental breakdown, complete withdrawal from social life, and loss of family support. She has filed a complaint with the Cyber Police, which was forwarded to the women’s police station for investigation. The incident highlights severe privacy violations during mobile repairs and their emotional toll.
Alleged Violation of Privacy and Resulting Harassment
The woman had taken her phone to a local repair shop for technical assistance. The repair staff reportedly accessed her private videos without consent and circulated them widely online through social media and messaging platforms. This breach of trust led to thousands of harassing messages and threats.
The reddit post titles “Phone repair shop in Kolkata leaked my private videos… I don’t know how to recover from this trauma” shares, “Am completely broken rn…. since then my parents have stopped talking to me…. I deleted all my social media accounts, changed my phone number, and completely cut myself off from everyone,” the Redditor wrote, adding, “I don’t go out of my room anymore, avoid people nd hve stopped using my phone…. I feel like my whole life has collapsed nd I dont know how ill ever recover from this.”
The strain forced her to delete her social media accounts, change her phone number, and isolate herself entirely from family and friends. She shared, “I don’t go out of my room anymore, avoid people, and have stopped using my phone… I feel like my whole life has collapsed, and I don’t know how I’ll ever recover from this.” Her parents have reportedly ceased communication, intensifying her feelings of abandonment.
Legal Actions and Broader Implications
The woman lodged a formal complaint with Kolkata Cyber Police, which forwarded the case to the Mahila Thana (women’s police station) on August 25, 2025. Experts suggest the case falls under Sections 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act, which address privacy invasion and publishing explicit material without consent.
This incident underscores widespread vulnerabilities in privacy protections when personal devices are repaired. It also highlights urgent needs for stricter regulations, enforcement, and awareness to prevent similar violations and safeguard consumers.
Safety Measures and Steps to Take if Private Content is Leaked
Consumers should take precautions before handing over devices for repair, such as backing up and deleting sensitive data, using secure apps with authentication, and verifying the credibility of repair shops. Avoid letting technicians access personal files unnecessarily. If private content is leaked online, victims should immediately file FIRs with cyber police and collect evidence including screenshots and URLs.
They can seek help through women’s support organisations and legal counsel to ensure enforcement of privacy laws and removal of content. Mental health support is critical, as outbreaks of harassment can cause severe emotional distress.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This tragic case highlights grave consequences of privacy breaches and the urgent need for respectful and stringent protection of personal data. The Logical Indian advocates for stronger accountability of service providers, comprehensive consumer education on digital safety, and empathetic community support for victims. Technology should safeguard human dignity, not endanger it.
