Awareness

This #NotWhatIWear !

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 26, 2024 0

First published on Women’s Web in
February 27, 2017 which is now retired.

This #NotWhatIWear Video By A Fashion Brand Is Compelling.
Blaming women for dressing ‘provocatively’ while the real perpetrators get away – this fashion brand is changing the narrative with #NotWhatIWear.This was written on a then trending Ajio youtube ad which though now no longer available, is still relevant .

“What was she wearing?” This is often, sadly, the first question asked when a woman is sexually assaulted. The idea that clothing could have weight in a conversation about sexual assault is ridiculous – and yet so familiar. And then follow statements like “She was asking for it.” Correlating women’s clothing with rape has been around since time immemorial. It is the easy scapegoat. So much so that even women start finding fault with the woman who was assaulted.

Fashion brand Ajio, which curates products, presented its collection at the recently held Lakme Fashion Week. Before the event the fashion brand released a powerful video #NotWhatIWear – that strikes at the core of the issue – it shows independent women going about their daily lives, yet thinking twice about the clothes they will/should wear before stepping outside.

The idea that clothing has anything to do with assault is global and persistent. If a man can be tempted into inappropriate behaviour because of the skin just above a woman’s knee, then the problem isn’t the woman’s knee – the problem lies with the man. It is about time society stops blaming sexual assault victims and telling women to change their attire and behaviour so as to not get raped. The real problem here is not women, but the people who commit the crime.

About the Author

DrAmrita Basu Misra
Doctor, Blogger mompreneur .I enjoy writing about health wellness ,parenting and my adventures as I explore financial freedom. I love travelling ,reading and balcony gardening.

How to fight social media addiction in teens and young adults

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on September 3, 2023 0

How to fight social media addiction? This post is meant for parents of teens and young adults but can actually work for kids too. The best thing about social media is it’s a nice way of being digitally social, great for keeping up with news and trends, plus good for small businesses that don’t have marketing budgets. But we have all landed up on X(Ex Twitter), Fb or Insta for some checking and forgot when the hour passed.That’s the problem.

*How to fight social media addiction in teens and young adults:The last point I have deliberately written twice as a reminder that there’s simply no other way .*

1. For me, the best way to fight social media addiction in teens and young adults: fight it like you would fight any other addiction. Prevention is still the best cure. Internet yes, social media no. Just don’t let them get started and sucked into the loop of likes, shares and hoopla.

Internet yes, social media no
Dr.Amrita Basu

Just like parents don’t let their kids try tobacco or alcohol, social media is in no way helpful. Being social in real life is important not digitally. Especially in this day and age where deep fake and identity theft is a real thing, sharing identifying content on social media is a strict no-no.

Companies before recruiting candidates check social accounts, most colleges do too. If your child has plans of working in high security industries having a clean digital profile is crucial. These are however things you need to discuss with your child in detail.

2. Is it for a hobby content for setting up their own business or educational research? Use Happinetz to blacklist links of social media sites you don’t want her device to access. That prevents inadvertent clicking and surfing behaviour.

Just like everything in parenting, you will have to set the boundaries and the best practices for behavior.

If you are on social media due to work or pleasure/hobby/educational content, show them what you do and avoid doom scrolling (we have all been sucked into that net).

Show them they can enjoy good art, nature, and content on YouTube or Instagram but you have to be with them to help them make those choices first.

Her hobbies are important in these cases. In case she wants to start her own hobby channel, be careful her identity and data are protected. While her creating content is okay, you will have to help with uploading and the legal side of it to keep her safe.

As a blogger, I adore the internet. It has taught me how to set up my blog, podcast, vlog, make money online and all while being a doctor, a mommy, and managing my thousand and one interests. The Internet is the reason I could make many things possible. So helping them learn to choose right is crucial.

3. As teens and young adults, their peer group will hold sway over their opinions and thoughts and the only way to prevent unsuitable friendships is again help them choose people who don’t cause chaos by their behaviour. Friends with risqué content on social media often cause peer pressure for other kids to imitate. Even if it’s the parent doing the uploading they do immense harm inadvertentantly.

As a social media content creator, I have refused collaboration which requires me to use my child’s identity with full f images as props. That was a choice I made even before I was aware of identity theft being a real problem. Maybe sharing this post will help them know what risks they can face.

4. Spend time with them and talk to them. Get to know them as social beings not just your kid. Human beings are social by nature. Having social maladjustment is a problem.

Nurture fun hobbies like gardening, crafting, writing, playing, painting, going for nature walks, anything you can do together. Help them become creators in real too, not just digital consumers.

5. Deaddict with a plan. Addictive behavior has deep roots. They may be mirroring a caregiver. One addiction can promote another. Plus it has a genetic predisposition. So in certain cases, prevention is the only way. Always remember inertia. Tantrums, shouting, and disobedient behavior can all be a fallout of strict regimentation.

Come to a compromise by helping her choose activities online or her favorite hobbies or favorite shows, online art courses, or any other recreational or educational content that she really enjoys or wants to learn about. Set a dedicated time daily/weekly according to her schedule when she can go online. Giving her choices will help her be in control. That’s crucial if you want her to learn to choose right.

Bonus tip for everyone. (I need to do this too)Getting those apps off the phone and desktop is the first step. If you have to manually login every time you are bored will be a good demotivation for reaching for social media time-pass

This post is a part of Happinetz – #SafeInternetForKids. Use my code AMRIB01 for a surprise discount at checkout.

This post is also part of #BlogchatterHalfMarathon

Affiliate disclaimer: There are affiliate links in the blog post. This means I will get a small commission if you visit and buy after clicking on a link to an external site,at no extra cost to you. This also helps to sustain the website. Thank you for your help

Real Life Jamtara? #CyberCrime Awareness

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 18, 2023 0

I am an ENT surgeon and often receive payment for consultation online.It’s usually a routine affair.We keep one number for Digital payments for ease of checking.

That helped me.Plus my publicly available phone number being different from the one linked to bank if PayTM saved the day.

Now the story.

One fine Tuesday morning a man who introduced himself, to be a local CISF personnel called me up claiming to be in charge of arranging medical check up for new recruits.Since ENT medical checkup is a routine procedure I asked him to make an appointment and visit the clinic.

That’s when things got interesting. He was polite and said several hundred recruits were to be checked and I should recommend the right number per visit fir easy procedure.

Since mine is a small town local practice I needed to tell my staff about arranging other appointments accordingly.It was decided that 30 patients would be optimum per day for me to checkup .

When I conveyed this to the man over phone,he told me the finance officer would be clearing the payment online through PAYTM and I will then just have to screen the recruits.Payments would get done in batches of 30.

Our clinic has a specific number for receiving payment seperate from all other services and that was a good thing because the call turned out to be a scam.A video call with a man dressed in army fatigue was made who wanted me to open my back camera to record the PAY T M transaction happening in the other phone.

Stupid of me.I agreed.But the man had sent me his ID card the one below as proof of being a CISF personnel.

He gave me a Credit card number to add to PAYTM .I did.Then he said he would send me 10 rupees to confirm account and then send the rest of the money.But in the app it should we were sending him ten rupees and linking the card to the account.We didn’t click on it .My husband refused further transactions. The man kept insisting.

We requested him to visit clinic and confirm their ID ,bring official order for health check up before we accepted payment online .The man started cajoling me and said you can’t give 10 rupees for the country what will you do for your country?That’s when the coin really dropped in my head .

I immediately cut the connection.The dialogue was straight out of a B grade Bollywood film and no one I their right mind would say such a thing,during a financial transaction.

The day was saved,I was lucky .Thank you God and thanks to my husband’s quick thinking .

*These people have fake ID,fake uniforms and research their victims.Stay vigilant*

My sister was aghast and told me to watch the jamtara series and it was spooky ,how this menace is spreading its tentacles and trying to undermine the digital payment ecosystem.

Receiving payment online,Teleconsultation is routine affair nowadays and things like these strike at the heart of the community wellbeing.

Crimes like these are not just financial fraud by crimes against society.I complained to the cyberpolice division online and my complaint is under process.I was lucky ,hope this helps you.It could definitely have had a different sort of ending.

Things to Remember

Portal where I registered my complaint

https://cybercrime.gov.in/

Keep your mobile data off!

ATM ,POS machines may be location for hacking through debit and credit cards

Phonecall,email SMS could all be ways of stealing digital data and hacking your phone.

Keep your digital wallets secured.

Having a different phone for banking related transactions,is another layer of security.

Don’t reveal your card numbers to anyone.

Don’t receive video calls from strangers.

Keep your mobile data and wifi off ,when not using the internet and just receiving calls.

All you need to know about Tokenization in Ecommerce

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on September 28, 2022 28

During festive seasons like Durga Pujo and Diwali in India, shopping offline gets crazy. That’s why e-commerce giants are making our life easier when it comes to shopping.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Now with RBI’s guidelines for making tokenization mandatory by 30th September, you may be wondering what will happen. Don’t worry our favorite online e-commerce stores like Amazon, are ready with tokenization.

You can carry on with seamless transactions while being sure your data is safe.

What exactly is tokenization and why should you care?

Tokenization is as simple as buying a token for your metro rail daily ride. You give money to buy x number of rides from point A to B. All the data is encrypted in the token you get from the metro.

In the digital world, it’s like your online payment data gets transferred or encrypted to a string of random numbers that do not correlate with your actual payment data.

Does Tokenization prevent Data theft?

Most e-commerce platforms pay huge sums to keep their customer data safe. But digital theft is a reality. With tokenization, if the data is compromised somehow, despite best efforts, the stolen data is useless.Even if someone manages to steal data from your digital wallet or e-commerce store account, the data will be a string of random numbers or the token which keeps your money safe. The tokens when they pass through various systems to process the payment act as the agent for your payment details like card number, and expiry date without the payment details being visible. Just like OTP, tokenization is a good initiative to have another additional layer of safety for payment data

Nowadays going digital is not a choice, it’s a mandatory payment option even for retail stores.

When you have e-commerce giants ready with tokenization you can now shop for your loved ones without worry. The best part is that each e-commerce store will generate a different token for the same card information.

What happens if there’s a data breach?

If any data breach occurs, the tokens are automatically canceled without your card data being revealed. That way you don’t have to get a replacement card for a data breach at the retailer’s end.

RBI now makes the banks issuing the cards responsible for keeping card information safe through the tokenization mandate that comes into effect from Oct 1, 2022.

When you pick the ‘pay with a card’ option for any e-commerce platform or wallet, it prompted you to pick a bank. It’s at that time when the card information is inserted, a token is generated which is then used by the merchant to process payment. In this way, the e-commerce site or digital wallet never has your sensitive data stored in their system.

E-commerce platforms like Amazon are ready in time to help you shop safer with tokenization in place. They have embraced tokenization fully, with a majority of their customers tokenized. Tokenization in the industry is good for the transaction ecosystem and the customers as it adds security and safety to every transaction they make online. However, the fact remains that smaller merchants are still not ready completely in terms of infrastructure. More time for readiness across the industry is needed so that there are no disruptions.

This is a sponsored post. Kindly read my full disclosure here.

25 Digital Marketing Tips for MSME #GrowingBusinessesTogether
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Simple Truths about Diabetes (No One Tells You!)

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 11, 2021 2

Diabetes Mellitus treatment suffers from mixopathy at the hands of the sufferers. But is it a result of choice or lack of awareness?I can’t judge the former ,but I can do something about the latter!

Indians have a special sweet for every season and occasion.If you look at the many different languages we speak ,you will have some idea about the range of sweets we enjoy.

From the sandesh rosogolla,ledikin,pantua, kanchagolla,rabri,pithey,moong daal ka halwa,gajar ka halwa,jalebi,mysore pak, sohan halwa,chana pora and more .We also love bakes and cakes.

I am scratching the surface barely while naming the sweets we make and eat.In winters the fresh jaggery makes it even more difficult to avoid sweets.

While celebrating , mukh mishti or kuch meetha ho jaye moments, you really can’t congratulate people or wish them with spicy,salty or sour food!

The problem is: simple sugars are tricky .Whatever be the source.

Truths about Diabetes Mellitus

1) This is the perfect moment to tell you one truth .Your brain needs sugar.Its the only fuel it can use to work.So even if you are a Diabetic you will need sugar.Yippee you don’t need to give it all up!

2) But remembering to pick the right kind and in the right amount is the trick to living healthy even with Diabetes Mellitus.

What kind of Carbohydrates?

Complex carbs are better than simple ones.The carbs in green leafy veggies are better than that in chocolate or any processed food.

The good news ,an occasional bite from a sweet is okay on special days .You really crave that moong dal ka halwa?Have a spoon full.Then stop .Its okay to have small cheat snacks ,than entire day when you binge and crash your system.

3)Remember to go for a extra walk or run and not make this a habit .You cannot ignore the role of exercise in blood sugar control.

4)Shop local and eat at home.If you don’t recognize the ingredients as food group on the label don’t eat it.Its way easier to eat right at home than at a restaurant. Few,if any give you calorie information per servings .

5) Having good blood sugar control means within normal limit for both fasting blood sugar and post meal blood sugar.

So what is Normal limit?

Fasting Blood sugar :Less than 100 mg/dl

6)For a balanced diet for diabetics the total calories and type of calories both are important.

There are many approaches to treating diabetes.But crucial to good control is the balanced diet adjusted for calories from a variety of food groups.

7)The time of meal is important for good digestion. Eat on time and chew your food well.

8)The problem of deranged blood glucose may be identified much later than when it actually started.Diagnosis is often incidental following some other event.By then some of the tissue changes have already started.

9)Diabetes can affect each and every cell of your body.Nothing is spared .Heart,brain, kidneys,joints,eyes,ears.

Imagine the cells and tissue spaces having extra sugar .That’s the best medium or substrate for micro bacterial growth.

Any infection then just becomes more difficult to fight until you get that in control.

The problem is the sugar in tissue spaces cause irreversible harm.when people experiment with alternative, doubtfully verified treatment models.Its also a problem when treatment is delayed or occasional.

10)Childhood obesity and childhood diabetes are serious problems and are different sides of a lifestyle problem.

11)If you have a thyroid problem.get good control of that,because thyroid hormones affect blood sugar and insulin too.

12) Mixopathy is not your best friend.The longer you have deranged blood sugar ,the higher the risk of diabetes related complications.

Takeaways:

There are NO shortcuts to s healthy life and it starts in childhood.

The role of habits mindset, diet lifestyle,medicine are crucial for managing a healthy life .

It’s never too late to start .But earlier the better.

It’s your body take charge ,take responsibility.

You are definitely what you eat ,in more ways than one.

Daily exercise is a no brainer for better health.

Lowering stress and ensuring good sleep is a super power when it comes to fighting Diabetes.

Hypoglycemic medicines or insulin if needed must be taken as prescribed.

Your treatment depends on your body,your blood sugar levels and needs have to be personalized.

Artificial sweeteners can be dangerous and definitely not your friend.

It’s a marathon ,not a sprint .

Diabetes in ENT practice

Complications of Diabetes you didn’t know

Neonatal Diabetes: 5 Things you must know

Childhood Obesity and Adult Secrets

Diabetes Care :The little secret no one told you

Who is Responsible for Buying and Selling Unhealthy Products?Belling the Economic Cat!

https://healthwealthbridge.com/web-stories/diabetes/

Square pegs and Round holes: Elearning Problems

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on October 9, 2020 3

Do you like free size dresses?Do you like the idea of one size fits all shoes?

Would you want custom options for your child’s education?

If you answer no,no, and yes,then you are exactly like me.An advertising magnet for all things expensive .Online education has just reached a new level of crazy .Edutech companies are falling over themselves trying to run to the bank first.Their advertising budgets are limitless. It’s a billion dollar business, having no ethical responsibility and misrepresentation seems to be the only rule.

Are you tired of those ads?You know the ones I am talking about ,right ?Atleast if you are reading this in India ,you will.

The brand advertising’s are boring,unsubtle and reeks of manipulation,low authority and insincerity. Shocking considering the clout used and money they are spending.

In India we are trying to go digital with educational resources. The problem is it’s a big country with a very big population.

The resources of Mother Earth are limited.So are the resources of the Government. Since free is unsustainable, the quality suffers.

The lower economic strata have limited options and I am clueless about how the super rich decide.What I do know is what a parent like me thinks.

You are a typical parent if you are constantly worrying about the possibility of your child missing out due to COVID.Your peers have thousand and one online options lined up as study/extracurricular /Genius level activities.

You will spend all your hard earned money to give your kids that extra chance to shine.

Then comes the targeted advertising everywhere. They use random celebrities who have never used their educational qualifications to earn a living promoting all sorts of stuff,guaranteed to make your child a certified genius.

Trying to fit a square pegs in a round hole ,again and again!Using your aspirations.Use it,manipulate it ,make money from selling dreams.

The question about education being about learning gets lost in the wind.

So how are we coping?

I fell for one of the platforms.But luckily sense returned mid way.Read about it here.

We are now teaching her school curriculum and as much fun stuff we can find in extra curricular books,free online resources.

Since schools are online,no other screen time other than school and a twenty minute fun cartoon watch with me.The biggest benefit of this is the little one is reading more.She is reading her story books and revising them too.That’s the cute part.She also finished the entire Famous Five series and is constantly talking about Timmy the dog.

We draw together every day.

We have nature walks in our balcony garden.

I tell her about history and we explore the globe.

We do yoga,play tennis (a version of ot),walk on the treadmill,have storytelling sessions too.

All this happens without stress .I choose to believe that wellbeing is crucial.

What do I want my daughter to be ?

I want her to be healthy, happy to learn and create.I can take care of that now,rest we can do later.As for those advertising , I always switch channels.

What do you think about advertising misrepresentation? Have you ever fallen for them? Let me know in the comments below.

Google Camp 2020 read all about it here.

About square pegs and Round holes

This post is also part of my CauseAchatter initiative with Blogchatter to spread the cause of quality Digital education. Equal opportunity for a better world.

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This #NotWhatIWear !

How to fight social media addiction in teens and young adults

Real Life Jamtara? #CyberCrime Awareness

Things to Remember

All you need to know about Tokenization in Ecommerce

What exactly is tokenization and why should you care?

Does Tokenization prevent Data theft?

What happens if there’s a data breach?

Simple Truths about Diabetes (No One Tells You!)

Truths about Diabetes Mellitus

Square pegs and Round holes: Elearning Problems

Google Camp 2020 read all about it here.

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How to fight social media addiction in teens and young adults

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Things to Remember

Sharing is good Karma!

What exactly is tokenization and why should you care?

Does Tokenization prevent Data theft?

What happens if there’s a data breach?

Sharing is good Karma!

Truths about Diabetes Mellitus

Sharing is good Karma!

Google Camp 2020 read all about it here.

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