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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
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Results for online victimization
95 results foundAuthor: Livingstone, Sonia Title: EU Kids Online: Final Report Summary: With 75% of European children using the internet, some observers celebrate children’s youthful expertise while others worry that they are vulnerable to new forms of harm. Policies to balance the goals of maximising opportunities and minimising risks require an evidence-based approach. Children’s use of the internet continues to grow. Striking recent rises are evident among younger children, in countries which have recently entered the EU, and among parents. This last reverses the previous trend for teenagers especially to outstrip adults in internet use. Long-standing gender inequalities may be disappearing, though socio-economic inequalities persist in most countries. Across Europe, despite some cross-national variation, available findings suggest that for online teenagers, the rank ordering of risks experienced is fairly similar. Giving out personal information is the most common risky behaviour, followed by encountering pornography online, then by seeing violent or hateful content. Being bullied online comes fourth, followed by receiving unwanted sexual comments. Meeting an online contact offline appears the least common though arguably the most dangerous risk. Even though higher status parents are more likely than those of lower socio-economic status to provide their children with access to the internet, it seems that the children from lower status homes are more exposed to risk online. There are also gender differences in risk, with boys more likely to encounter (or create) conduct risks and with girls more affected by content and contact risks. Countries were classified by degree of children’s internet use and degree of risk online. The classification of countries as ‘high risk’ (ie, above the European average), ‘medium risk’ (ie, around the European average) or ‘low risk’ (ie, below the European average) is a relative judgement based on findings in the available studies reviewed. This suggests a positive correlation between use and risk: Northern European countries tend to be ‘high use, high risk’; Southern European countries tend to be ‘low use, low risk’; and Eastern European countries tend to be ‘new use, new risk’. Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2009. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20I/Reports/EUKidsOnlineFinalReport.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Europe URL: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20I/Reports/EUKidsOnlineFinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 119718 Keywords: BullyingInternet CrimesInternet, Safety MeasuresOnline VictimizationPornography |
Author: Grosskopf, Angelique Title: Online Interactions Involving Suspected Paedophiles Who Engage Male Children Summary: This paper summarises the results of a small-scale study into the online interactions of suspected paedophiles with undercover Australian police officers posing as male children. The study provides insight to an under-researched area of how persons with a sexual interest in male children interact with potential victims and whether these interactions differ from online engagements with female children. The findings provide an interesting and persuasive case to further examine online strategies used by persons wishing to exploit male children, as it highlights potential differences in approaches when compared with interactions between suspected offenders and female children. The differences include less aggressive online behaviour and language, with an emphasis on the male child’s sexuality and sexual experience. These strategies appear to assist the formation of an online friendship which precedes sexual topics, rather than the reverse as is largely reported in literature. These findings are likely to have implications for law enforcement and child protection initiatives. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 403: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/C/8/C/%7BC8C25B82-6F4A-4119-BC62-75840BA8D22A%7Dtandi403.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/C/8/C/%7BC8C25B82-6F4A-4119-BC62-75840BA8D22A%7Dtandi403.pdf Shelf Number: 120519 Keywords: Child ProtectionInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationPedophiliaSex Offenders (Australia)Sexual Exploitation, Male Victims |
Author: Davidson, Julia Title: Current Practice and Research into Internet Sex Offending Summary: This report seeks to explore the current and recent practice of Scottish, English, Welsh and international governments, organisations and agencies in assessing risk and managing and treating internet sex offenders. The research aims were addressed via a literature review, documentary analysis of key legislation, policy and practice documents and semi-structured interviews with a small number of key respondents with expertise in the area and representatives from criminal justice agencies (N=15). Details: Paisley, Scotland: Risk Management Authority, 2007. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://www.rmascotland.gov.uk/try/research-papers/ Year: 2007 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.rmascotland.gov.uk/try/research-papers/ Shelf Number: 120822 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseInternet CrimesInternet SafetyOnline VictimizationSex Offenders |
Author: CIFAS - The UK's Fraud Prevention Service Title: Digital Thieves: A Special Report on Online Fraud Summary: In Digital Thieves, CIFAS and a wide range of fraud prevention experts have combined not only to focus on identity fraud and account takeover, but also to explain specifically the online dimension to these crimes. There are tips on staying safe online and protected from fraud; stories from the victims of fraud; a series of maps laying bare the true, alarming, scale of these crimes; an examination of how businesses can fall victim; and articles looking at how internet crime has developed and what may, or may not, happen next. Details: London: CIFAS, 2010. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.cifas.org.uk/secure/contentPORT/uploads/documents/CIFAS%20Reports/Digital_Thieves_October2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cifas.org.uk/secure/contentPORT/uploads/documents/CIFAS%20Reports/Digital_Thieves_October2010.pdf Shelf Number: 122091 Keywords: Computer CrimesFraud (U.K.)Identity TheftOnline Victimization |
Author: Perreault, Samuel Title: Self-Reported Internet Victimization in Canada, 2009 Summary: Most Canadians use the Internet regularly (Middleton 2010). According to results from the 2010 Canadian Internet Use Survey, 8 out of 10 Canadian households had access to the Internet (Statistics Canada 2011). However, the advent of new information technologies is also creating new opportunities for crime and new risks of victimization (RCMP 2011; Public Safety 2011). In recent years, governments and institutions, as well as users, have identified the need to address the risk of victimization on the Internet (Kowalski 2002). However, to date, it remains difficult to measure the nature and extent of the issue. While police records provide some information, self-reported data show that only a small proportion of victimizations are reported to authorities (Perreault and Brennan 2010). In 2009, the General Social Survey (GSS) on Victimization was conducted on a sample of Canadians aged 15 years and older living in the provinces. For the first time, the GSS collected information from Canadians about their perceptions and experiences of victimization on the Internet, with a particular focus on cyber-bullying, Internet bank fraud and problems encountered with making online purchases. Drawing on the GSS data, this Juristat article presents information on Internet victimization as self-reported by Canadians. In particular, it examines the socio-demographic and economic characteristics (such as age, level of education and income status) and Internet use characteristics of those who have been victimized. This article also examines security concerns of Canadian Internet users as well as hate content found on the Internet. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2011. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Juristat: Accessed September 19, 2011 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2011001/article/11530-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2011001/article/11530-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 122779 Keywords: CyberbullyingCybercrimeInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationVictimization Surveys (Canada) |
Author: Wei, Weixiao Title: Online Child Sexual Abuse Content: The Development of a Comprehensive, Transferable International Internet Notice and Takedown System Summary: This report establishes the value of an international ‘notice and takedown’ system, through the examination of the legislative and regulatory approaches in eight countries. The report found that there is compelling evidence that the ‘notice and takedown’ system already used in some countries is effective in removing child sexual abuse content at source, while still allowing law enforcement authorities to capture evidence for investigations aimed at prosecuting offenders and where possible, the rescue of child victims. The report makes recommendations on how these methods could be implemented internationally. Details: Cambridge, UK: Internet Watch Foundation, 2011. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2011 at: Year: 2011 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 122886 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseComputer CrimesInternet CrimesInternet SafetyOnline Victimization |
Author: Latonero, Mark Title: Human Trafficking Online: The Role of Social Networking Sites and Online Classifieds Summary: This report presents a comprehensive examination of the role of social networking sites and online classified ads in facilitating human trafficking and delivers recommendations for developing technological innovations to monitor and combat trafficking. Human trafficking, a form of modern-day slavery, is a grim reality of the 21st-century global landscape in developed as well as developing countries. While traditional channels of trafficking remain in place, online technologies give traffickers the unprecedented ability to exploit a greater number of victims and advertise their services across geographic boundaries. Yet the extent to which online technologies are used in both sex and labor trafficking is unclear, and the current approach to the question is lacking. While online classified sites such as Craigslist have already been under intense scrutiny for being used by traffickers, little research is available on the role of online classified and social networking sites in human trafficking, and the issue has yet to be fully studied. Instead of singling out these technologies as a root cause of trafficking, this report poses the following question: Can online technologies be leveraged to provide actionable, data-driven information in real time to those positioned to help victims? This study forwards the hypothesis that tools such as data mining, mapping, and advanced analytics can be used by governmental and nongovernmental organizations, law enforcement, academia, and the private sector to further the anti-trafficking goals of prevention, protection, and prosecution. Adapting these technologies and methods requires careful consideration of potential implications for civil liberties, such as privacy and freedom of expression. This report applies detailed methods to understanding the relationship between domestic human trafficking and online technologies through literature reviews, field research, and interviews. In addition, the report presents preliminary results from primary research in developing tools to assist law enforcement and anti-trafficking efforts. The report concludes with a set of recommendations and guidelines to inform future research and technological interventions in human trafficking. The use of Internet technologies in people’s daily lives has dramatically increased in recent years. In 2010, the number of Internet users worldwide exceeded an estimated 2 billion. Hundreds of millions of individuals use social networking sites, and approximately half of all online adults in America have used online classified advertising sites. In contrast to the many social benefits that Internet technologies provide, a darker narrative also has emerged. Social networks and online classified sites are being used by traffickers to market, recruit, sell, and exploit for criminal purposes. Many of these sites are explicit in nature and some are underground. Yet, evidence from legal cases demonstrates that mainstream sites such as Craigslist, Backpage, and Myspace have already been used for trafficking. Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites are susceptible to similar uses. Because human trafficking is a crime recognized by international protocols and state laws, traffickers are traditionally forced to conduct their activities underground. But this report illustrates that online transactions leave behind traces of user activity, providing a rare window into criminal behavior, techniques, and patterns. Every online communication between traffickers, “johns,” and their victims reveals potentially actionable information for anti-trafficking investigators. Until now, there has been a lack of data on the role of online technologies in human trafficking. Yury Fedotov, executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, remarked: “We do not have an accurate picture of the scope and nature of [the misuse of technology] and cannot act as effectively as we should. Knowledge is essential for evidence-based policy, and we must fill the information gap.” The Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP) at the University of Southern California launched an anti-trafficking initiative in response to a similar call for increased knowledge. The project began at a June 2010 meeting CCLP Director Geoffrey Cowan convened in Washington, D.C., at the urging of Alec Ross, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s senior adviser for innovation, and Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, head of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Justice, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the United Nations joined leaders from the technology field, nongovernmental organizations, and academia to discuss the use of technology to address trafficking. The meeting set into motion research initiatives in the Mekong Subregion (including Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam), Haiti, and the United States. An absence of technological solutions for information sharing among antitrafficking organizations inspired further study into potential uses of technology in this field. A partnership between the USC Information Sciences Institute and CCLP developed prototype software designed to detect possible cases of online sex trafficking activity, particularly cases involving underage victims. Together, the group conducted advanced research on data mining, computational linguistics, and mapping tools to monitor trafficking on social networking and online classified sites. Feedback from the Federal Bureau of Investigation was integral to this process. This report indicates that immediate action is required to develop monitoring and prevention techniques to combat human trafficking online. The report recommends future research and proposes actions that stakeholders can undertake to address trafficking online. Comprehensive solutions to trafficking through online channels should involve proactive steps by governments to protect victims and support law enforcement in combating a new generation of tech-savvy traffickers. At the same time, this report urges private-sector technology firms to recognize the opportunity to address human trafficking on their networks and services. In addition, NGOs and academics bring needed expertise to technological interventions. This study also identifies technological innovations that can be used by actors and stakeholders involved in anti-trafficking efforts. To that end, the following principles are intended for those seeking to employ technology as a means to combat human trafficking. Details: Los Angeles: University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Center on Communication Leadership and Policy, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2011 at: https://technologyandtrafficking.usc.edu/files/2011/09/HumanTrafficking_FINAL.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://technologyandtrafficking.usc.edu/files/2011/09/HumanTrafficking_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 123011 Keywords: Human TraffickingInternet CrimesInternet SafetyOnline VictimizationSex TraffickingSocial Networking |
Author: Rush, Howard Title: Crime Online: Cybercrime and Illegal Innovation Summary: With the growing sophistication and use of information technology, the past decade has seen a major growth in cybercrime. Broadly described, cybercrime refers to all types of crime that exploit modern telecommunications networks, in which computers or computer networks are used for criminal activity. This report focuses exclusively on financial cybercrime, specifically credit card fraud and identity theft. Financial cybercrime has increased dramatically in recent years and looks set to increase further as the proliferation of communications technology proceeds apace and reaches regions of the world with many underemployed poor people with information technology skills who can take advantage of cybercrime opportunities. The current global recession will likely increase this trend still further. Details: Brighton, UK: CENTRIM, University of Brighton, 2009. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://eprints.brighton.ac.uk/5800/ Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.brighton.ac.uk/5800/ Shelf Number: 123116 Keywords: Computer CrimesCredit Card FraudCybercrimesFinancial CrimesIdentity TheftOnline Victimization |
Author: Dupont, Benoit Title: Skills and Trust: A Tour Inside the Hard Drives of Computer Hackers Summary: Stories of the exploits of computer hackers who have broken into supposedly secure government and corporate information systems appear almost daily on the front pages of newspapers and technology websites, yet we know very little about the individuals behind these headlines. Most media accounts and academic studies on hackers suffer from a number of biases that this research attempts to overcome. A case study based on the seized communication logs of ten confirmed co-offenders is used to expand our knowledge of the social norms and practices that govern interactions between malicious hackers. After presenting the data and how the material became available to the author, the remaining sections focus on the two variables that define this criminal network’s performance: skills and trust. The skills under consideration are the three different sets of cognitive and practical abilities that malicious hackers need in order to succeed financially. Monetization and social skills, in addition to technical skills, play key roles in profit-oriented malicious hacking and explain why earning a decent living in the computer underground remains a laborious endeavour, even for advanced hackers. Trust, which facilitates the diffusion of technical, monetization, and social skills and fosters collaboration, was found to be much lower in this network than is generally assumed in the literature. The need for monetization and social skills as well as the lack of trust between members may partly explain why hacker networks are so ephemeral and vulnerable to law enforcement disruption. Details: Montreal: School of Criminology, University of Montreal, 2012. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2154952 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2154952 Shelf Number: 126746 Keywords: Computer CrimesHackersInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSocial Network Analysis |
Author: Hasebrink, Uwe Title: Patterns of Risk and Safety Online: In-depth analyses from the EU Kids Online survey of 9- to 16-year-olds and their parents in 25 European countries Summary: - This report is the work of the EU Kids Online network, coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), with research teams and stakeholder advisers in each of the 25 countries and an International Advisory Panel. The network has been funded by the European Commission's (EC) Safer Internet Programme in order to strengthen the evidence base for policies regarding online safety. - Countries included in EU Kids Online are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the UK. - The report is based on a new and unique survey of 25,000 children across Europe, and was designed and conducted according to rigorous standards by the EU Kids Online network. Top-line findings for the survey have already been reported in: Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Gorzig, A. and Olafsson, K. (2011) Risks and safety on the internet: The perspective of European children. Full findings. - This report offers a further analysis of these survey findings, examining the patterns of use, activities, risks and safety within these 25 countries focusing on individual and group-level differences (age, gender, parental education, and so forth). - It is paired with a parallel report, published simultaneously (August 2011), Cross-national comparison of risks and safety on the internet, which examines cross-national differences in children's experiences of the internet in Europe, depending on the country they live in. - The intended audience for both reports includes researchers and research users. The reports include primary statistical analysis in order that the basis for the project's conclusions is clearly explained and accounted for. - To address policy stakeholders more widely, both reports will be followed, in September 2011, by a report discussing the policy implications of these individual and country-level comparisons of children's experiences. Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2011. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/D5%20Patterns%20of%20risk.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/D5%20Patterns%20of%20risk.pdf Shelf Number: 128123 Keywords: Computer CrimesInternet CrimesMediaOnline SafetyOnline Victimization |
Author: Blaya, Catherine Title: Risks I: The FR report Full findings from the EU Kids Online survey of 9-16 year olds and their parents in France Summary: This report presents initial findings from a French survey of children and their parents designed to provide a unique insight into the balance of opportunities and risks experienced by children in France on the internet. A random stratified sample of 1000 9-16 year olds who use the internet, and one of their parents/carers, was interviewed during May/June 2010. The France survey forms part of a larger 25 country survey conducted by EU Kids Online and funded by the EC's Safer Internet Programme. The EU Kids Online survey explored children's experiences of a range of possible risks online. The nature of these experiences, which children are most affected, and how children respond are questions to be pursued in a future report. Sexual images - In France, one quarter (29%) of 9-16 year olds say that they have seen sexual images online in the past 12 months. This is higher than the European average (14%). - 40% of France 13-14 year olds and 43% of 11-16 year olds say they have seen online sexual images. Older children are more numerous to have seen this type of images and they are 28% of the 13-14 year olds and 24% of the 15-16 year olds who have seen images or video of someone having sex. - Among the children who say they have seen or been sent sexual messages online, only half of the parents are aware of this. One parent out of three say they have not experienced this. One parent out of ten do not know. However, parents in France are much more aware than the European average with 21% of parents who are aware of the exposure of their children to sexual messages, 52% who say it has not happened and one third who do not know (30%). - Overall, most children have not experienced sexual images online and, even of those who have, most say they were not bothered or upset by the experience. However, one third say they were bothered and these children need attention. Bullying - In relation to bullying, 26% of children (and 19% across Europe) say they have been bullied online or offline, but just 5% say this occurred on the internet. - Most common victimization is nasty or hurtful messages sent to the child (3%), followed by messages being posted or passed on (2%) and other nasty things online (1%). Only 1% have been socially excluded or have been threatened online. - 17% of children say they have bullied others in the past 12 months. Sexual messages - The most common type of sexual messages received by the 11-16 year old internet users is a message on the internet (19%). 3% have seen a sexual message posted online. 5% reported they have seen other people perform sexual acts while 1% have been asked for a photo or video showing their private parts or been asked to talk about sexual acts with someone online. Meeting online contacts offline - 32% of children in France have had contact online with someone they have not met face to face. A similar finding to the European average of 30%. - 12% have gone to an offline meeting with someone first met online. This is higher than the European average (which is 9% across all countries). - Older teenagers (13-16 year olds) are much more likely than younger children to have online contact with someone they have not met face to face. They are also more likely to have gone on to meet them in person. Other online risks - That is in France that children are the fewest to report having come across one or more of potentially harmful user-generated content on the internet. - Most common are hate messages (6%), followed by anorexia/bulimia sites (mainly for girls aged 14-16 who are 8% while boys of the same age are 2%), sites talking about drug experiences (3%). and contents relating to self-harm or suicide (both 2%). These percentages are slightly inferior to the European average. - The main misuse of personal data experienced by children in France is when someone has used their password or pretended to be them (6%). Some have had personal information used in a way they did not like (3%). These percentages are slightly inferior to the European average. Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2012. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/46442/1/FranceReportEnglish.pdf Year: 2012 Country: France URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/46442/1/FranceReportEnglish.pdf Shelf Number: 128124 Keywords: Computer Crimes (France)Conmputer SafetyOnline BullyingOnline SafetyOnline VictimizationPornography |
Author: Green, Lelia Title: Risks and Safety for Australian Children on the Internet: Full findings from the AU Kids Online survey of 9-16 year olds and their parents Summary: This report presents initial findings from an Australian survey of children and their parents designed to provide a unique insight into the balance of opportunities and risks experienced by these children as a result of their internet use. A random stratified sample of 400 9-16 year olds who use the internet, and one of their parents/carers, was interviewed between November 2010 and February 2011. The ‘AU’ survey was conducted in parallel with a 25 nation survey carried out by EU Kids Online (see Annex 1) and funded by the EC’s Safer Internet Programme. The questionnaire was designed by the EU Kids Online network, coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science. Ipsos MORI and its international affiliates conducted the research in all 26 countries. In what follows, AU findings are compared with those from 25 other countries, all of which are European nations, although not all of which are members of the European Union. The results of this overarching European-level research in 25 nations, with 25,142 families each represented by a child aged 9-16, and the parent who knows most about the child’s internet use, are reported in Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, K. (2011). Risks and safety on the internet: The perspective of European children. Full findings. LSE, London: EU Kids Online. See www.eukidsonline.net. Where reference is made in this report to EU Kids Online, or to ‘in Europe’, this entails reference to the findings based on the 25,142 children involved in the EU Kids Online research, not to European children as a whole, nor to the children of the European Union. The 25 nations involved in the EU Kids Online research are Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Cyprus (CY), Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Greece (EL), Hungary (HU), Italy (IT), Ireland (IE), Lithuania (LT), Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO), Poland (PO), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), Sweden (SE), Turkey (TU), and the United Kingdom (UK). Details: Kelvin Grove QLD, Australia: ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, 2011. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://cultural-science.org/journal/index.php/culturalscience/article/viewFile/49/129 Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://cultural-science.org/journal/index.php/culturalscience/article/viewFile/49/129 Shelf Number: 128170 Keywords: Computer SafetyCyberbullyingCybercrimeInternet CrimesInternet SafetyOnline Safety (Australia)Online Victimization |
Author: Koeppel, Maria Title: Dating Safety and Victimization in Traditional and Online Relationships Summary: The technological landscape of society is changing at an extremely rapid pace (Sautter et al., 2010), with an estimated 80% of Americans having access to the internet either at home or at work in October 2010 (Strickling & Gomez, 2011). The availability and use of online dating websites has also grown exponentially during that period of time (Finkel et al., 2012), and societal perceptions of online dating have changed dramatically. During the 1990s, online dating was seen as an extremely deceptive and ineffective enterprise (Madden & Lenhart, 2006). Since then, however, online dating has become much more mainstream. While online dating has become relatively common, a large portion of Americans do not believe that the practice itself is safe (Madden & Lenhart, 2006). Using an online dating site, like any other form of social networking, requires users to put personal information about themselves on the internet. Beyond traditional concerns regarding the protection of internet users’ personal information, the safety of dating websites is additionally in question due to the relative ease with which users are able to deceive potential partners (Madden & Lenhart, 2006; Toma et al., 2008). The pervasiveness of deception in online dating has become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, spawning both movies and an entire television series (“Catish” on MTV) dedicated to deciphering whether online partners are representing themselves accurately. There is currently an emerging body of empirical literature regarding online dating; however most of this research overlooks differences in victimization evident between this type of social interaction and its traditional counterpart (Jerin & Dolinsky, 2001). This report presents results of a study designed to investigate questions of safety and victimization experiences related to online dating versus more traditional forms of dating. Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, College of Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, 2013. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://dev.cjcenter.org/_files/cvi/DatingSafety.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://dev.cjcenter.org/_files/cvi/DatingSafety.pdf Shelf Number: 128279 Keywords: Dating ViolenceInternet SafetyOnline DatingOnline Victimization |
Author: Lobe, Bojana Title: Cross-national comparison of risks and safety on the internet: initial analysis from the EU Kids Online survey of European children Summary: This report examines the cross-national differences between the 25 countries included in the EU Kids Online project. The core of the project is a rigorous and detailed in-home, face-to-face survey with 1,000 children aged 9-16 in each country. Top-line findings for the survey are reported in: Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A. and Ólafsson, K. (2011) Risks and safety on the internet: The perspective of European children. Full findings. This report offers a further analysis of these survey findings, focused on cross-country comparisons. It asks the following key questions: What are the main differences in children’s online use, activities, skills, risks and harm across the 25 countries surveyed? How far can these differences be accounted for by external country-level factors (such as broadband penetration, education, GDP, etc)? It is paired with a parallel report, published simultaneously (August 2011), Patterns of risk and safety online, which examines cross-national similarities among children’s experiences of the internet in Europe, focusing on individual and group-level differences (age, gender, parental education). The intended audience for both reports is researchers and research users. The reports include primary statistical analysis in order that the basis for the project’s conclusions is clearly explained and accounted for. To address policy stakeholders more widely, both reports will be followed, in September 2011, by a report discussing the policy implications of these individual and country-level comparisons of children’s experiences. Details: London: EU Kids Online Network, London School of Economics, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2013 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/39608/1/Cross-national%20comparison%20of%20risks%20and%20safety%20on%20the%20internet%28lsero%29.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/39608/1/Cross-national%20comparison%20of%20risks%20and%20safety%20on%20the%20internet%28lsero%29.pdf Shelf Number: 129648 Keywords: BullyingInternet CrimesInternet, Safety MeasuresOnline VictimizationPornography |
Author: Javelin Strategy and Research Title: 2013 LexisNexis True Cost of Fraud Study. Merchants Struggle Against an Onslaught of High-Cost Identity Fraud and Online Fraud Summary: While the rebounding economy is softening the blow of merchant fraud losses, merchants are still paying $2.79 in costs for each dollar of fraud losses they incur, up $0.10 on the dollar from 2012 (see figure 1). A spike in online fraud is responsible for these higher costs, as fraud through the online channel burdens merchants with higher fees and replacement costs than fraud through in-person or other channels. The surge in online fraud is driven by the proliferation of malware and data breaches, which facilitate the theft and misuse of consumers' payment card, merchant account, and alternative payments account information. Merchants would be wise to focus on customer identity and transaction verification, particularly for online transactions, as online fraud and identity fraud take a greater percent of fraud losses in 2013. Large e-commerce merchants demonstrate exemplary fraud attitudes and behaviors which mitigate the effect of fraud losses on their bottom line. These merchants believe that fraud is inevitable, but understand that their prevention efforts will result in more positive customer relationships (see figure 5). They use a greater number of fraud technology solutions than all merchants (5 solutions vs. 2, on average), and lose a relatively low (and declining) percent of revenue to fraud each year (from .60% in 2012 to .53% in 2013) (see figure 3). International merchants adhere to the same beliefs and behaviors to a lesser degree, though still more than all merchants (see figures 5 and 13). Although they lose more revenue to fraud each year, they reduced this percent even as their domestic-only counterparts saw an increase this year (see figure 17). Mobile merchants saw an increase in fraud as a percent of revenue this year (from .64% in 2012 to .75% in 2013) (see figure 3). While displaying similar attitudes to large e-commerce merchants as to the positive effects of reducing fraud, they are most likely among all segments to view fraud mitigation costs as burdensome (see figure 4). Details: New York: LexisNexis, 2013. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 7, 2013 at: http://www.lexisnexis.com/risk/downloads/assets/true-cost-fraud-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.lexisnexis.com/risk/downloads/assets/true-cost-fraud-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 131600 Keywords: Crimes Against BusinessesFinancial CrimesOnline FraudOnline Victimization |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Culture, Media and Sport Committee Title: Online Safety. Sixth Report of Session 2013-14 Summary: The internet has revolutionised communications and information sharing. It provides an ever increasingly important platform for creativity and economic growth. Online social media services are providing new ways of interacting and keeping in touch. Online communications enable expressions of human behaviour both positive and negative; sometimes downright criminal. Our inquiry has focused on three disparate aspects of online content and behaviour, all of which are of widespread concern: illegal content, especially images of child abuse; harmful adult content being made freely available to children; bullying and harassment on social media. Both the publication and possession of child abuse images are rightly illegal. While these offences are bad enough, it must not be forgotten that such images represent crime scenes, often of the most horrific kind. There is a clear need to ensure that the police have adequate resources to track down and arrest online paedophiles in sufficient numbers to act as a meaningful deterrent to others. If necessary, additional funding should be provided to recruit and train a sufficiently large number of police officers adequate to the task. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Command, now part of the new National Crime Agency, has a well-deserved reputation as a lead body in tackling child abuse. It has been increasingly effective not least because it is not solely a criminal justice organisation: its education and social care work has also been very important in increasing public understanding of the problem of child abuse and in offering means of countering abusers. All three elements of its mission - education, social care and criminal justice - need to be actively pursued and publicised. The Internet Watch Foundation, too, has played a crucial role in removing and blocking child abuse images online. We very much welcome their new commitment to embark on proactive searching for online child abuse images. The sooner these can be found and removed, the better. However, we are concerned that the additional staff resources being allocated to this task could prove woefully insufficient to achieve substantial progress towards what must be an important intermediate goal: the eradication of child abuse images from the open internet. Tracing paedophiles who share images on peer-to-peer networks and the so-called hidden internet continues to challenge both the police and the internet service providers; it is a challenge that, by working together, they must overcome. Legal adult pornography is widely consumed. This includes explicit "hard core" material that attracts an R18 certificate from the British Board of Film Classification. Parents and carers clearly have a key role, not to mention interest, in preventing harmful material of this kind becoming available to children. However, they should have access to more information and help where and when they need it. In the off-line world, it is the newsagent, not the parent, who voluntarily places some adult magazines on a top shelf out of reach of children. It is the local authority, not the parent, which administers the licensing of sex shops selling R18 pornography to which children may not be admitted. Some level of analogous protection ought to be provided in relation to online material. At the moment, little is. Legal adult sites could restrict access by children in a number of ways. In general a robust age verification process should be in place; as part of this, sites could use a combination of the following: requiring payment by a credit card linked to an adult; shielding the content behind a warning page; attaching metadata to the website to make it easier for filters to operate and for search engines not to return the material when operating in a safe search mode. Filters may not be failsafe, but they continue to improve and are an important way of protecting children from harmful content. We very much welcome the introduction of whole home filtering solutions that prompt account holders with a choice to apply them. The main internet service providers should have contacted all their customers by the end of the year to offer this valuable service. We want to see all other ISPs following suit. Publishing adult pornography in a way that makes it readily available to children is likely to be an offence under the Obscene Publications Act 1959. We do not believe the police should be deterred from bringing to book publishers of adult pornography who make little attempt to shield children from their product. While acknowledging that the enforcement of obscenity legislation is fraught with difficulty, not least in the context of the internet, we believe there is scope for greater enforcement in this area to provide some deterrent effect. There may also be scope for blocking particularly harmful adult websites that make no serious attempt to hinder access by children. As part of its existing media literacy duties, Ofcom has an important role in monitoring internet content and advising the public on online safety. However, we are anxious to avoid suggesting a significant extension of formal content regulation of the internet . Among the unintended consequences this could have would be a stifling of the free flow of ideas that lies at the heart of internet communication. Rather, more needs to be done to signpost the advice and educational resources available to both parents and teachers. This is all the more pressing given the growing use of social media and its misuse by some - both adults and children. Today, one in five 12-16 year-olds think being bullied online is part of life. Social media providers should offer a range of prominently displayed options for, and routes to, reporting harmful content and communications. They should act on these reports expeditiously, keeping the complainant and-where appropriate-the subject of the complaints informed of outcomes and actions. Given that Facebook and Twitter are aware of the extent to which their services are accessed by younger children, thanks to age verification processes that are at best flimsy, we expect them to pay greater attention to factoring this into the services provided, the content allowed and the access to both. The same applies to other social media companies in a similar position. Some of the worst online bullies and trolls are being brought to book in the courts. Much of the abuse and bullying that takes place online is covered by existing laws, but these need to be clarified with guidance updated for the online space. Young people especially are distinguishing less and less between their lives on the internet and in the real world. Bullying that takes place in the playground can merge seamlessly with bullying on smart phones and tablets. Sometimes this ends with the tragedy of teenage suicide. It is just one reminder that staying safe off-line includes staying safe online too. Details: London: The Stationery Office, Limited, 2014. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmcumeds/729/729.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmcumeds/729/729.pdf Shelf Number: 132037 Keywords: BullyingChild AbuseChild PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual ExploitationComputer CrimesInternet CrimesOnline CommunicationsOnline SecurityOnline VictimizationPedophiliaPornography |
Author: Marwick, Alice Title: Online Harassment, Defamation, and Hateful Speech: A Primer of the Legal Landscape Summary: Although online harassment and hateful speech is a significant problem, there are few legal remedies for victims. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides internet service providers (including social media sites, blog hosting companies, etc.) with broad immunity from liability for user-generated content. Given limited resources, law enforcement personnel prioritize other cases over prosecuting internet-related issues. Similarly, there are often state jurisdictional issues which make successful prosecution difficult, as victim and perpetrator are often in different states, if not different countries. Internet speech is protected under the First Amendment. Thus, state laws regarding online speech are written to comply with First Amendment protections, requiring fighting words, true threats, or obscene speech (which are not protected). This generally means that most offensive or obnoxious online comments are protected speech. For an online statement to be defamatory, it must be provably false rather than a matter of opinion. This means that the specifics of language used in the case are extremely important. While there are state laws for harassment and defamation, few cases have resulted in successful prosecution. The most successful legal tactic from a practical standpoint has been using a defamation or harassment lawsuit to reveal the identities of anonymous perpetrators through a subpoena to ISPs then settling. During the course of our research, we were unable to find many published opinions in which perpetrators have faced criminal penalties, which suggests that the cases are not prosecuted, they are not appealed when they are prosecuted, or that the victim settles out of court with the perpetrator and stops pressing charges. As such, our case law research was effectively limited to civil cases. In offline contexts, hate speech laws seem to only be applied by courts as penalty enhancements; we could locate no online-specific hate speech laws. Given this landscape, the problem of online harassment and hateful speech is unlikely to be solved solely by victims using existing laws; law should be utilized in combination with other practical solutions. Details: New York: Center on Law and Information Policy, Fordham Law School, 2014. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: CLIP Report: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=clip Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=clip Shelf Number: 132508 Keywords: Bias-Motivated CrimesFirst AmendmentHarassmentHate CrimeInternet CrimesOnline Victimization |
Author: Laxton, Clare Title: Virtual world, real fear: Women's Aid report into online abuse, harassment and stalking. Summary: In September 2013 Women's Aid hosted a conference to discuss the impact of online stalking and harassment on women - thank you to all members who attended and contributed to the conference. The conference aimed to demonstrate the intrinsic link between online abuse, harassment and stalking, and domestic violence as part of a pattern of behaviours by perpetrators. The conference also explored the fear that online abuse, harassment and stalking created and the impact it had on women. This report draws out the key themes from the conference and makes recommendations for Government, social media providers and criminal justice agencies. Key messages from the report - The violence women experience from online abuse, stalking and harassment is completely unacceptable; - The impact that this online abuse has on women's lives has been underestimated by all statutory services. It is vital that online abuse, harassment and stalking is seen and dealt with as part of the spectrum of domestic violence; - Women's Aid believes that the responses that women victims of online abuse, harassment and stalking receive from the police, criminal justice system and social media providers are currently inadequate. Key recommendations: - The update of the Government Action Plan on VAWG should emphasise that online abuse is a key part of violence against women, and state that what is a crime offline is a crime online. - Social media providers should ensure that any perpetrator of online abuse, harassment and stalking of women through their platforms is curtailed as soon as possible. This should be done through the development of online abuse, stalking and harassment policies and protocols, and creating easier reporting and blocking mechanisms to safeguard victims of abuse. - Guidance and training for all professionals engaged in VAWG cases in criminal justice agencies including the police and the Crown Prosecution Service on the nature and impact of online abuse, harassment and stalking and the need to recognise it as part of the spectrum of domestic violence perpetrated against women by men. Details: Bristol, UK: Women's Aid Federation of England, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2014 at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=00010001001400130007ionTitle=Virtual+World+Real+Fear Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=00010001001400130007§ionTitle=Virtual+World+Real+Fear Shelf Number: 131889 Keywords: Online VictimizationSexual HarassmentStalkingViolence Against Women (U.K.) |
Author: Winkler, Carol K., ed. Title: Visual Propaganda and Extremism in the Online Environment Summary: Visual images have been a central component of propaganda for as long as propaganda has been produced. But recent developments in communication and information technologies have given terrorist and extremist groups options and abilities they never would have been able to come close to even 5 or 10 years ago. There are terrorist groups who, with very little initial investment, are making videos that are coming so close to the quality of BBC or CNN broadcasts that the difference is meaningless, and with access to the web they have instantaneous access to a global audience. Given the broad social science consensus on the power of visual images relative to that of words, the strategic implications of these groups' sophistication in the use of images in the online environment is carefully considered in a variety of contexts by the authors in this collection. Details: Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College Press, 2014. 256p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2014 at: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1213 Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1213 Shelf Number: 133295 Keywords: ExtremismExtremist GroupsOnline CommunicationOnline VictimizationRadical GroupsTerrorism |
Author: Great Britain. National Crime Agency Title: National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2014 Summary: If there is a single cross-cutting issue that has changed the landscape for serious and organised crime and our response against it, it is the growth in scale and speed of internet communication technologies. The online streaming of real-time child sexual exploitation and abuse is a growing threat. Cyber techniques have proliferated and are used ever more extensively by wider serious and organised crime groups to commit 'traditional' crimes (see Section 1: Cross-cutting issues for cyber-enabled crime). As more government services go online, including tax collection, there is an increasing risk of online attacks and fraud against the public sector. Large scale attacks on public as well as private online services erode consumer confidence, which affects the UK's social and economic well-being and reduces the attractiveness of the UK as a place to do business. 84% of all cases of identity fraud are delivered by the internet. The pace of development of deployable criminal tools is such that we anticipate an increase in the targeted compromise of UK networked systems, more ransom-ware attacks and distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks against business-critical systems. Corruption is another key cross-cutting issue, the impact of which is disproportionate to the level and frequency at which it occurs, with serious ramifications in terms of confidence towards the public and private sectors and in undermining trust in government. Proceeds of corruption and bribery amounting to millions of pounds from some international politically exposed persons (PEPs) have been laundered through UK financial systems including banks and investment property. The scale of the laundering of criminal proceeds, despite the UK's leading role in developing international standards to tackle it, is a strategic threat to the UK's economy and reputation. Some of the same financial transfer systems used by serious and organised criminals in the UK are also used by terrorist groups both domestically and overseas. The UK and its dependent territories are believed to have been the destination for billions of pounds of European criminal proceeds. We assess that the supply of heroin from Afghanistan, amphetamine processing/production in the UK and the supply of new psychoactive substances are all likely to increase, and that the supply of cocaine from South America is likely to remain at a high rate. The impact of the illegal drugs trade in the countries where they are sourced and those through which they are trafficked can be significant and undermines states and government structures. In some cases it has the potential to damage UK strategic partnerships. Human trafficking is widely recognised as a significant global problem. Work to scope the extent of criminality behind the trafficking of human beings continues in order to improve the understanding of modern slavery. We assess that irregular migrants already in the UK will continue to provide a pool of people that serious and organised criminals can exploit by selling them forged or counterfeit documents to support fraudulent applications for leave to remain in the UK. We also assess that criminal exploitation of the legitimate supply of firearms to the UK marketplace will increase. There is also a concern that weapons, whether from illegal or legitimate sources, might find their way into the hands of extremists. All of the most serious crime threats are transnational. Commodities of all types - including, for example, trafficked people destined for modern slavery, intangibles targeted in fraud and cyber crime - either come from or transit through often unstable countries. Corruption in these countries both feeds off the proceeds of the crime and contributes in turn to instability. The criminal exploitation of corrupt and unstable governments or countries can directly threaten UK national security. Details: London: National Crime Agency, 2014. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2014 at: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/207-nca-strategic-assessment-of-serious-and-organised-crime/file Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/207-nca-strategic-assessment-of-serious-and-organised-crime/file Shelf Number: 133466 Keywords: Child Sexual ExploitationCybercrimeDrug TraffickingHuman TraffickingIllegal DrugsIllegal GunsNational SecurityOnline VictimizationOrganized Crime (U.K.)Violent Crime |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: Study on the Effects of New Information Technologies on the Abuse and Exploitation of Children Summary: This Study on the effects of new information technologies on the abuse and exploitation of children was prepared pursuant to Economic and Social Council resolution 2011/33 on Prevention, protection and international cooperation against the use of new information technologies to abuse and/or exploit children, in which the Council expressed concern that increasingly rapid technological advances have created new possibilities for the criminal misuse of new information and communication technologies. The study is based primarily on open source research and the outcomes of an informal expert group meeting on ICT facilitated abuse and exploitation of children, held in Vienna from 23 to 25 September. In accordance with Council resolution 2011/33, relevant information from the 2013 Comprehensive Study on Cybercrime prepared for the consideration of the open-ended intergovernmental expert group on cybercrime is also taken into account. The study is divided into four chapters and contains a glossary as an annex. Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2014. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2014 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/commissions/CCPCJ/CCPCJ_Sessions/CCPCJ_23/E-CN15-2014-CRP1_E.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/commissions/CCPCJ/CCPCJ_Sessions/CCPCJ_23/E-CN15-2014-CRP1_E.pdf Shelf Number: 133926 Keywords: Child AbuseChild ProtectionChild Sexual ExploitationComputer CrimesCybercrime (International)Internet CrimesOnline CommunicationsOnline Victimization |
Author: Pew Research Center Title: Online Harassment Summary: Harassment-from garden-variety name calling to more threatening behavior- is a common part of online life that colors the experiences of many web users. Fully 73% of adult internet users have seen someone be harassed in some way online and 40% have personally experienced it, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. Pew Research asked respondents about six different forms of online harassment. Those who witnessed harassment said they had seen at least one of the following occur to others online: - 60% of internet users said they had witnessed someone being called offensive names - 53% had seen efforts to purposefully embarrass someone - 25% had seen someone being physically threatened - 24% witnessed someone being harassed for a sustained period of time - 19% said they witnessed someone being sexually harassed - 18% said they had seen someone be stalked Those who have personally experienced online harassment said they were the target of at least one of the following online: - 27% of internet users have been called offensive names - 22% have had someone try to purposefully embarrass them - 8% have been physically threatened - 8% have been stalked - 7% have been harassed for a sustained period - 6% have been sexually harassed In Pew Research Center's first survey devoted to the subject, two distinct but overlapping categories of online harassment occur to internet users. The first set of experiences is somewhat less severe: it includes name-calling and embarrassment. It is a layer of annoyance so common that those who see or experience it say they often ignore it. The second category of harassment targets a smaller segment of the online public, but involves more severe experiences such as being the target of physical threats, harassment over a sustained period of time, stalking, and sexual harassment. Of those who have been harassed online, 55% (or 22% of all internet users) have exclusively experienced the "less severe" kinds of harassment while 45% (or 18% of all internet users) have fallen victim to any of the "more severe" kinds of harassment Details: Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2014. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 23, 2014 at: http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2014/10/PI_OnlineHarassment_102214_pdf.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2014/10/PI_OnlineHarassment_102214_pdf.pdf Shelf Number: 133808 Keywords: HarassmentInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSexual HarassmentStalking |
Author: Barrett, Nicole A. Title: An Assessment of Sex Trafficking in Canada Summary: This report, summarizes the prevalence of sex trafficking in Canada in 2013, examines the profile of victims and techniques of traffickers, and explores the demand to purchase sex in Canada, the role of the internet in sex trafficking, and the social and economic costs of sex trafficking. Details: Toronto: Canadian Women's Foundation, 2013. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2014 at: http://canadianwomen.org/sites/canadianwomen.org/files//Assessment%20of%20Sex%20Trafficking%20in%20Canada_3.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://canadianwomen.org/sites/canadianwomen.org/files//Assessment%20of%20Sex%20Trafficking%20in%20Canada_3.pdf Shelf Number: 133879 Keywords: Human Trafficking Internet Crimes Online VictimizationSex Trafficking (Canada) Sexual Exploitation |
Author: Internet Watch Foundation Title: Youth-Produced Sexual Content Summary: This Paper introduces the key findings of a quantitative study of youth-produced sexual content online ("the Study"). The Study took place over a three month period between September and November 2014 and used a combination of proactively sourced1 content from search engines, historic IWF data and leads from public reports to locate "youth-produced sexual content" depicting "young people". Where the content was assessed as meeting these criteria the content was analysed in accordance with IWF's standard procedures for actioning child sexual abuse content, capturing data about each image/video including image category, site type, commerciality, hosting location, device used to create the content and the assessed age and gender of the individuals depicted. During the course of the Study, 3,803 images and videos were assessed as meeting the research criteria. The key findings of the Study were as follows: - 17.5% of content depicted children aged 15 years or younger. - 85.9% of content depicting children aged 15 or younger was created using a webcam. - 93.1% of the content depicting children aged 15 or younger featured girls. - 46.9% of content depicting children aged 15 years or younger was Category A or B5 compared to 27.6% of content in the 16-20 years age range. - 89.9% of the total images and videos assessed as part of the Study had been harvested from the original upload location and were being redistributed on third party websites. Details: Cambridge, UK: Internet Watch Foundation, 2015. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Emerging Patterns and Trends Report #1: Accessed March 16, 2015 at: https://www.iwf.org.uk/assets/media/resources/Emerging%20Patterns%20and%20Trends%20Report%201%20-%20Youth-Produced%20Sexual%20Content%20website%20March%202015-1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://pornharmsresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/Emerging-Patterns-and-Trends-Report-1-Youth-Produced-Sexual-Content-1.pdf Shelf Number: 134937 Keywords: Child Pornography (U.K.)Child Sexual AbuseOnline CommunicationsOnline VictimizationSexting |
Author: Wrixon, Kristiana Title: Cyberstalking: the role of sex in perpetrator behaviour and victim impact Summary: Research has previously found a higher than expected percentage of male victims in cases of cyberstalking. Furthermore, it has been shown that female cyberstalking victims primarily fear physical harm and male victims primarily fear loss of reputation. This study considers why these differences exist with particular focus on the online behaviour of men and women. Using two questionnaires this study examines the behaviour of Internet users and the experiences of cyberstalking victims in order to consider whether there is a relationship between the way men and women use technology and the fears they experience if cyberstalked. It was found that men and women spend equal amounts of time online and that men do not place any more emphasis on their online professional presence than women. However, differences were found between the sexes in regards to some online anti-social behaviours and these findings did relate to the differing behaviours of male and female cyberstalking perpetrators. This study concludes that the differences between primary fears in cyberstalking victims are influenced by the online behaviour of the perpetrator and how individuals use the Internet. However these factors cannot be attributed as the sole reason for differences in cyberstalking fears in men and women. Details: Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: University of Bedfordshire, 2014. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://uobrep.openrepository.com/uobrep/bitstream/10547/344622/1/wrixon.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://uobrep.openrepository.com/uobrep/bitstream/10547/344622/1/wrixon.pdf Shelf Number: 135113 Keywords: Crime Victims Cybercrimes Cyberstalking Online VictimizationStalking |
Author: Livingstone, Sonia Title: Towards a better internet for children Summary: This report presents new findings and further analysis of the EU Kids Online 25 country survey. It also brings together our previously published findings relevant to European Commission Vice President Kroes' CEO Coalition recent initiative to make the internet a better place for children. New results show that, of nine different kinds of parental worries about their child, online risks - being contacted by strangers (33% parents) or seeing inappropriate content (32% parents) - rank 5th and 6th. Will the Coalition's principles help manage online risk of harm, and so address parental concerns? Our evidence supports recommendations about initiatives that industry can take under four of the five headings considered by the CEO Coalition. Details: London: EU Kids Online, London School of Economics, 2012. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2015 at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Reports/EUKidsOnlinereportfortheCEOCoalition.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Europe URL: http://www.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Reports/EUKidsOnlinereportfortheCEOCoalition.pdf Shelf Number: 135454 Keywords: Computer CrimesComputer SafetyInternet CrimesInternet SafetyOnline Victimization |
Author: Stone, Kelly Title: Looking at bullying and cyberbullying: mapping approaches and knowledge Summary: Bullying affects how safe and respected children and young people feel and therefore preventing it - and dealing with it appropriately when it does happen - is central to their wellbeing. As cyberbullying has emerged as a pervasive issue, practitioners, policy-makers and researchers have sought to define what online bullying is, and identify appropriate responses to it. The main aims of this research were: - to explore the wider literature on bullying and cyberbullying to gain clear understandings of how the terms are defined and how they relate to each other - to identify approaches to bullying and cyberbullying, with a focus on policy and practice in Scotland - to ascertain, from the literature, children and young people's views on cyberbullying, and how they are experiencing online bullying. In addition to a review of the literature to address the above aims, information was gathered through liaison with colleagues in different sectors and agencies, and from an evidence session of the Education and Culture Committee on cyberbullying. Details: Edinburgh: Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, 2014. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 1, 2015 at: http://www.sccyp.org.uk/ufiles/Looking-at-bullying-and-cyberbullying.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccyp.org.uk/ufiles/Looking-at-bullying-and-cyberbullying.pdf Shelf Number: 135490 Keywords: Bullying (Scotland)CyberbullyingOnline Victimization |
Author: Walsh, Wendy A. Title: Sexting: When are State Prosecutors Deciding to Prosecute? The Third National Juvenile Online Victimization Study Summary: The majority of state prosecutors (62%) in the sample that had worked on technology facilitated crimes against children had handled a sexting case involving juveniles, and 36% of prosecutors in the sample reported that they had ever filed charges in these cases. When charges were filed, the majority charged child pornography production felonies and 16% of prosecutors had sexting cases that resulted in the defendant being sentenced to sex offender registration. Research needs to continue to help prosecutors develop tools and strategies to deal with these complex crimes. Details: Durham, NH: Crime Against Children Research Center, 2013. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2015 at: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV294_Walsh_Sexting%20&%20prosecution_2-6-13.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV294_Walsh_Sexting%20&%20prosecution_2-6-13.pdf Shelf Number: 135733 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual AbuseOnline VictimizationProsecutionSex OffendersSexting |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Title: Online and on the edge: Real risks in a virtual world. An inspection into how forces deal with the online sexual exploitation of children Summary: Taking, possessing and distributing indecent images of children or grooming them online, can result in the commission of serious crimes against the most vulnerable. These crimes are not necessarily confined to the online world. There is a risk that perpetrators are also committing sexual offences against children in person or may do so in the future. This report sets out the findings from fieldwork in Devon and Cornwall, Kent, Lancashire, North Wales, Northumbria and Staffordshire where HMIC inspectors reviewed a total of 124 cases selected at random, and conducted interviews with police officers and staff. Although we did not inspect every force, we anticipate that our findings and recommendations will be relevant in whole, or in part, for all police forces throughout England and Wales. The first part of this report sets the scene, looking at the reasons and background to why children are sexually exploited online. The second part sets out our findings on the police service's efforts to tackle online child sexual exploitation. Although this report does not specifically focus on the police's use of technology when dealing with this type of offending, in our annual assessment of policing in England and Wales, published in November 2014, we stressed the need for the police service to refresh and improve its capabilities on a regular basis. The police will need to make a major leap forward in capability to keep pace with the crime threat, and this is particularly true of crimes against children facilitated by online activity. In 2012, HMIC carried out fieldwork as part of an inspection on how police forces performed in their work to prevent online child sexual exploitation - facilitated and enabled by the internet. This fieldwork identified opportunities to undertake coordinated law enforcement activity to apprehend offenders across England and Wales. As a result, operation Notarise was established as a large scale police operation between the National Crime Agency and the police service. So far 745 people have been arrested, 900 premises searched, and nearly 10,000 devices capable of storing indecent images of children have been seized. Over 500 children have been identified and safeguarded as a result of this activity. From time to time, in the course of our inspection work, we come across live police operations. We do not make public any material that might compromise current operations or pending criminal trials. Details: London: HMIC, 2015. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2015 at: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/wp-content/uploads/online-and-on-the-edge.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/wp-content/uploads/online-and-on-the-edge.pdf Shelf Number: 136301 Keywords: Child PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationInternet CrimesOnline Victimization |
Author: Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center (U.K.) Title: Threat Assessment of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Summary: 1. Last year the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre published its first annual Threat Assessment of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (TACSEA), which examined current and emerging threats posed to children in the United Kingdom from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. 2. The 2013 TACSEA builds on and updates last year's document and, in line with CEOP's founding ethos that every child matters...everywhere, also examines the threat to children abroad from UK nationals. The purpose of the assessment is to enable CEOP to set its strategic priorities for the year ahead by describing the nature and extent of the threat landscape and how we assess it will change during the year. This will ensure that in a time of austerity across the public sector, CEOP resources are deployed where the threat to children is the greatest. It also provides a picture for partners to consider in their strategies and resource deployment. 3. CEOP's mission, as set out in its three year strategy, is to work with others to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. It is recognised, however, that many other agencies in the UK have responsibility for tackling the spectrum of child sexual abuse particularly where it occurs in the home or within the family. Whilst acknowledging the wider context of child sexual exploitation and abuse this assessment focuses on those areas, both online and offline, where CEOP can add value and where no other agency has an appreciable footprint. 4. The TACSEA is an intelligence product, the purpose of which is to enhance understanding of a particular threat area. As an exception reporting tool it highlights only significant changes to that threat during the reporting period and it should therefore be read in conjunction with the 2012 TACSEA. The assessment sets out what is currently known about the threats to children and highlights those areas where understanding is less well developed. 5. This assessment signals the start of the second year of a three year strategy in which CEOP undertakes to assess where and how children are most at risk from sexual exploitation and abuse, to communicate this widely and to develop programmes to mitigate threats. It is likely that CEOP will conduct an additional threat assessment in the autumn of 2013 to inform the setting of national priorities. 6. In October 2013, CEOP will become a command of the National Crime Agency (NCA). The NCA will be the centrepiece of the reformed policing landscape and will spearhead the national crime fighting response to serious, organised and complex crime. Within the NCA, CEOP will further develop its strategic approach to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse, to protect children and young people who are at risk of victimisation and to pursue offenders who target children in the UK or overseas. Details: London: CEOP, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2015 at: http://ceop.police.uk/Documents/ceopdocs/CEOP_TACSEA2013_240613%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://ceop.police.uk/Documents/ceopdocs/CEOP_TACSEA2013_240613%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 131373 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationOnline Victimization |
Author: Broadband Commission for Digital Development Title: Cyber Violence against Women and Girls: A world-wide wake-up call Summary: Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is already a problem of pandemic proportion; research shows that one in three women will experience some form of violence in her lifetime. Now, the new problem of cyber crime could significantly increase this staggering number, as our research suggests that 73% of women have already been exposed to or have experienced some form of online violence. With social networks still in their relative infancy, this is a problem that urgently needs to be addressed if the Net is to remain an open and empowering space for all. - The sheer volume of cyber VAWG has severe social and economic implications for women's status on the Internet. Threats of rape, death, and stalking put a premium on women's emotional bandwidth, take-up time and financial resources including legal fees, online protection services, and missed wages. Cyber VAWG can have a profoundly chilling effect on free speech and advocacy. - Women aged 18 to 24 are at a heightened risk of being exposed to every kind of cyber VAWG; they are uniquely likely to experience stalking and sexual harassment, while also not escaping the high rates of other types of harassment common to young people in general, like physical threats. - In the EU-28, 18 per cent of women have experienced a form of serious Internet violence at ages as young as 15. This corresponds to about 9 million women. - Complacency and failure to address and solve cyber VAWG could significantly impede the uptake of broadband by women everywhere; without action, an unprecedented surge of 21st century violence could run rampant if steps are not urgently taken to rein in the forms of online violence that are escalating unchecked. Details: Geneva, SWIT: The Commission, 2015. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2015 at: http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/reports/bb-wg-gender-report2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/reports/bb-wg-gender-report2015.pdf Shelf Number: 136923 Keywords: Computer CrimeCybercrimeInternet CrimeOnline VictimizationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Sarzosa, Miguel Title: Bullying among Adolescents: The Role of Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills Summary: Bullying is a behavioral phenomenon that has received increasing attention in recent times. This paper uses a structural model with latent skills and longitudinal information from Korean youths to identify the determinants and effects of bullying. We find that, unlike cognitive skills, non-cognitive skills significantly reduce the chances of being bullied during high school. We use the model to estimate average treatment effects of being bullied at age 15 on several outcomes measured at age 18. We show that bullying is very costly. It increases the probability of smoking as well as the likelihood of feeling sick, depressed, stressed and unsatisfied with life. It also reduces college enrollment and increases the dislike of school. We document that differences in non-cognitive and cognitive skill endowments palliate or exacerbate these consequences. Finally, we explore whether investing in non-cognitive skills could reduce the occurrence of bullying. Our findings indicate that the investment in skill development is key in any policy intended to fight the behavior. Details: Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: NBER Working Paper No. 21631: Accessed October 28, 2015 at: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21631.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21631.pdf Shelf Number: 137162 Keywords: Bullying Cyberbullying Cybercrime Internet Crime Online Victimization |
Author: Palmer, Tink Title: Digital Dangers: The impact of technology on the sexual abuse and exploitation of children and young people Summary: The internet has transformed how we all live, learn, work and communicate. Over the last twenty years the ways in which we interact and engage have evolved beyond imagination; for many people, the world online is as real as the world offline. For children - at the forefront of the digital revolution - the internet has created myriad opportunities. But it has also created risks. For every new piece of technology that can change how children access information, communicate or find entertainment, a new danger may present itself in a way that children, families and society may not immediately understand. Barnardo's is the largest provider of support to at risk and sexually exploited children in the UK, and runs specialist services in 47 local areas across the country. In 2014-15, these services supported 3,175 children, a 49 per cent increase on the preceding year. Our project workers have witnessed first-hand how the internet has transformed the nature of abuse and sexual exploitation. The concerns that we raise in this report build upon evidence that started to emerge when Barnardo's published Just one click! in 2004. This was one of the first publications in the UK to address the growing concerns amongst professionals about the ways in which children and young people may be at risk of harm online. More than a decade later, and now that the true scale of sexual exploitation of children in the UK is finally beginning to be recognised, it is even more crucial that we better understand the risks posed by the internet, and how we can address them. What is clear from the report is that the ways in which children can be sexually exploited online do not always follow the models of sexual exploitation that we are familiar with. Children at risk may be younger than those referred to services for offline sexual exploitation, and may not fit into standard definitions of 'vulnerable'. What is also clear from the report is that the problem of online sexual abuse of children impacts on the work of Barnardo's across all projects. As communication becomes ever more private and personal, due to mobile devices and instant connectivity, it can become all the more difficult to identify who is at risk, how they are at risk and where they are at risk. It is vital that policy and practice recognises the particular vulnerabilities that children now face, and respond to them. Drawing on research conducted with our services, this report makes a number of recommendations relating to service provision; training for professionals; and policy change. The recommendations are wide-ranging and emphasise the part that we can all play in protecting our children online. Details: Barkingside, Ilford, UK: Barnardo's, 2016. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2016 at: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/onlineshop/pdf/digital_dangers_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/onlineshop/pdf/digital_dangers_report.pdf Shelf Number: 137575 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationComputer CrimesInternet CrimesOnline CommunicationOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Cannon, Ashley Title: Responding to Social Media Norms: Development a Comprehensive Strategy to Promote Digital Citizenship Summary: Social media has become a part of everyday life. All types of real-world behavior are now showcased online-including criminal behavior, bullying, threats and the glorification of violence. Increasingly, youth associated with antisocial peer groups-such as neighborhood-based "crews" engaging in violent rivalries-use social media as a tool to create criminal opportunities and amplify conflicts. Unfortunately, in many cases, this type of social media usage can lead to real-life violence or other serious ramifications, such as arrest. The Crime Commission is engaged in several initiatives that seek to provide social media users with tools and information to help them stay safe both on- and off-line, including the development of an innovative new program that trains antiviolence professionals as "E-Responders" to intervene and deescalate violence provoked on social media. As part of this work, this series, "Social Media & Real-World Consequences", provides readers with an overview of the ways youth are communicating on social media, the associated risks of these communications turning into real-world violence, and the range of legal, educational and professional consequences youth may face in the real-world. High-risk youth engage in numerous types of dangerous communication on social media, including threatening and taunting others (often those from rival crews), promoting their self-image and crew, mobilizing others for disorderly or criminal activity, and recruiting other youth to join their crew. These types of communication are highly visible and exist beyond private messages and chats. Status updates, comments, photos, and videos often contain content prohibited by platform providers; however, they remain on the sites, fueling conflict. Moreover, youth often use social media to acquire weapons for attacks and protection. These dangerous communications have an extremely high risk of going from virtual to violent, and often result in very serious consequences in the real-world. When these consequences include violence, such as fights and shootings, they are often immediately documented and discussed online, increasing the likelihood of retaliation and further perpetuating the cycle of street violence. Taunts, threats, and intimidation on social media often lead to in-person fights, which can have deadly consequences. Youth often post continuous information about their ongoing conflicts, including violent intentions prior to carrying out shootings. This was the case in the Bryant Park skating rink shooting in November 2013, as well as in a shooting that occurred at a house party in Brownsville in January 2014, in which a 16-year-old was killed. The Bedford-Stuyvesant bus shooting in March 2014, which led to the death of a straphanger, was instigated by months of taunting on social media between two rival crews. Beyond violence and victimization, these harmful behaviors can lead to a wide range of legal, educational and professional consequences in the real-world. For example, police use social media to help identify, track, and build cases against individuals, culminating in indictments, such as the June 2014 takedown of 103 youth in West Harlem. Schools, financial aid providers, and employers also use social media profiles as a form of background check when considering an individual for admission, scholarship, or employment, and to inform disciplinary actions-something many people are not aware of when they post recklessly on social media. Details: New York: Citizens Crime Commission on New York City, 2015. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Social Media & Real World Consequences, Volume II: Accessed January 25, 2016 at: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Social-Media-Vol2-Responding-To-Norms.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nycrimecommission.org/pdfs/CCC-Social-Media-Vol2-Responding-To-Norms.pdf Shelf Number: 137653 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Delinquency Prevention Online Communications Online Victimization Social Media Violence Violence-Prevention Violent Crime Youth Violence |
Author: Title: ReCharge Women's Technology Technology Safety, Legal Resources, Research and Training Summary: In 2013, the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV) conducted research examining how technology is being used by perpetrators to stalk and abuse women, as well as how these technologies may be used to support and improve women's safety. This research, titled SmartSafe, is one of the few studies conducted internationally on technology-facilitated stalking and abuse in the context of family violence. In 2015, DVRCV has collaborated with Women's Legal Services NSW and WESNET in a national women's technology safety project, funded by ACCAN, called ReCharge: Women's Technology Safety, Legal Resources, Research & Training. As part of this project, DVRCV conducted a national survey of technology-facilitated abuse drawing on the experience of family violence practitioners across Australia. In 2013, DVRCV conducted the first Australian study into the use of technology by perpetrators in the context of domestic violence. This Victorian-based study, called SmartSafe, utilised a multiple-methods approach and included two surveys: one with 152 domestic violence sector practitioners, and one with 46 women who had experienced domestic violence. The findings showed that the use of technology by perpetrators to stalk and abuse women was a significant emerging issue in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: SmartSafe, Domestic Violence Research Centre Victoria, 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2016 at: http://www.smartsafe.org.au/sites/default/files/National-study-findings-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.smartsafe.org.au/sites/default/files/National-study-findings-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137695 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceOnline VictimizationStalkingViolence Against Women |
Author: Trend Micro Title: Ascending the Ranks. The Brazilian Cybercriminal Underground in 2015 Summary: The fastest route to cybercriminal superstardom can be found in Latin America, particularly in Brazil. Any criminal aspirant can gain overnight notoriety with just a little bit of moxie and the right tools and training, which come in abundance in the country's untamed underground. This past year, we observed an influx of new players in the scene. Most of them are young and bold individuals with no regard for the law. Unlike their foreign counterparts, they do not rely so much on the Deep Web for transactions. They exhibit blatant disregard for the law by the way they use the Surface Web, particularly popular social media sites like Facebook and other public forums and apps. Using online aliases on these sites, they make names for themselves, flagrantly showing off all the spoils of their own mini operations. Although they share what they know to peers, they mostly work independently, trying to outdo the competition and ascend the ranks to become the top players in their chosen fields. Online banking is their biggest target; this makes banking malware and respective how-to tutorials prevalent. This trend remains consistent with what we reported two years ago. But since then, new offerings have also sprouted, including localized ransomware and personally identifiable information (PII)-querying services. Illegal goods that were only peddled in Brazil's backstreets have likewise crossed over to the underground. Anyone can now purchase counterfeit money and fake diplomas online. The brazenness of cybercriminal operations should come as no surprise. Brazilian law enforcement agencies already have a lot on their plate; budding criminals online are only additions to their list of challenges. Although they have started investing in the fight against this growing problem, will their efforts be enough to at least slow down its pace. Details: Irving/Las Colinas, TX: Trend Micro, 2015. 320. Source: Internet Resource: TrendLabs Research Paper: Accessed February 1, 2016 at: https://www.trendmicro.com/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp-ascending-the-ranks.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Brazil URL: https://www.trendmicro.com/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp-ascending-the-ranks.pdf Shelf Number: 137721 Keywords: Bank FraudCounterfeitingCybercrimeOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Home Affairs Title: Cyber Security Summary: This report brings together the results of the Special Eurobarometer public opinion survey on "Cyber security" in the 28 European Union countries. Cybercrime is a borderless problem, consisting of criminal acts that are committed online by using electronic communications networks and information systems, including crimes specific to the Internet, online fraud and forgery, and illegal online content. Whilst the value of the cybercriminal economy as a whole is not precisely known, the losses are thought to represent billions of euros per year. The scale of the problem is itself a threat to law enforcement response capability - with more than 150,000 viruses and other types of malicious code in circulation and a million people victims of cybercrime every day. Given the development of cybercrime in recent years, the European Commission has designed a coordinated policy in close co-operation with European Union (EU) Member States and the other EU institutions. EU legislative actions contributing to the fight against cybercrime address issues such as attacks against information systems, online offensive material and child pornography, online privacy, and online fraud and counterfeiting. The aim of this survey is to understand EU citizens' experiences and perceptions of cyber security issues. The survey examines the nature and frequency of Internet usage; their awareness and experience of cybercrime; and the level of concern that they feel about this type of crime. The findings from this survey update a previous survey which was carried out in May-June 2013 (Special Eurobarometer 404). The 2014 survey repeats most of the questions asked in 2013 in order to provide insight into the evolution of knowledge, behaviour and attitudes towards cyber security in the European Union. Details: Luxembourg: European Commission, 2015. 171p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Eurobarometer 423: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_423_en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_423_en.pdf Shelf Number: 137810 Keywords: Computer CrimeCyber SecurityCybercrimeInternet CrimeInternet SafetyOnline Victimization |
Author: National Crime Agency (UK) Title: Emerging new threat in online dating. Initial trends in internet dating-initiated serious sexual assaults Summary: The National Crime Agency's Serious Crime Analysis Section (SCAS) has identified a significant increase in the number of reports to UK police forces about serious sexual assaults carried out by strangers that have been initiated through online dating. Reports indicate that these offences took place during the first face-to-face meeting between the victim and the offender after they initially met online. This emerging threat appears to be a result of the increasing popularity of online dating - including free and subscription services, dating websites, apps and 'hook up' services - combined with the behaviours and expectations fostered by an online environment. Early analysis indicates that the online dating phenomenon has produced a new type of sexual offender. These offenders are less likely to have criminal convictions, but instead exploit the ease of access and arm-chair approach to dating websites. This is aided by potential victims not thinking of them as strangers, but someone they have got to know. Details: London: National Crime Agency, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2016 at: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/670-emerging-new-threat-in-online-dating-initial-trends-in-internet-dating-initiated-serious-sexual-assaults/file Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/670-emerging-new-threat-in-online-dating-initial-trends-in-internet-dating-initiated-serious-sexual-assaults/file Shelf Number: 137948 Keywords: Computer CrimesInternet CrimesOnline DatingOnline VictimizationSexual AssaultsSocial Media |
Author: Great Britain. Home Office. Research, Information and Communications Unit Title: Serious and Organised Crime Protection: Public Interventions Model Summary: The public interventions model maps people's vulnerability to financial and cyber crime. The research identifies: - who is at risk from cyber, fraud and financial crime - what makes them vulnerable - how government, law enforcement and cross-sector partners can better protect them from becoming victims Details: London: Home Office, 2016. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502960/Gov.uk_Serious_Organised_Crime_deck_vF.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502960/Gov.uk_Serious_Organised_Crime_deck_vF.pdf Shelf Number: 137949 Keywords: CybercrimeFinancial CrimesFraudInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationOrganized CrimeSerious Crime |
Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Cyberbullying of children Summary: The Internet, mobile phones, and other technological innovations have become entrenched in Australian life. These technologies create far-reaching benefits for youth. Nevertheless, these technologies have also introduced a tranche of online bullying behaviours known as cyberbullying, adding to the longstanding challenges associated with traditional school bullying. Cyberbullying has been an identified issue since at least the early 2000s; however, the issue has gained greater attention as more Australian children use social media and communication technologies more frequently. Cyberbullying can cause immense distress to young victims, including long term psychological and mental health damage, and in some cases suicide. Stopping this harmful behaviour has become a matter of high priority for authorities, and Australian schools in particular. While adults can be cyberbullied, or engage in cyberbullying, the focus of this e-brief is on children. The paper outlines cyberbullying's prevalence in Australia and its impact on individuals and schools. It discusses key government responses at the Commonwealth and State level, and international reviews of the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief 2/2016: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/Cyberbullyingofchildren/$File/Cyberbullying%20of%20Children.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/Cyberbullyingofchildren/$File/Cyberbullying%20of%20Children.pdf Shelf Number: 138369 Keywords: BullyingCyberbullyingInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSocial Networks |
Author: Mitchell, Kimberly J. Title: Trends in Unwanted Exposure to Sexual Material: Findings from the Youth Internet Safety Studies Summary: There has been considerable and growing concern voiced by schools, parents and the public about what youth experience while using the Internet and other electronic technologies. The last decade saw significant and rapid changes in youth online activity: Internet use has now expanded to encompass almost all youth. Moreover, the nature of youth Internet use changed during this time with an increase in the use of cell‐ and smart‐phones, and the migration of adolescent social activity to social networking sites. However, this rapid expansion in technology use has occurred during a period of time in which child victimization has declined significantly. In 1999 and 2000, the first Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS‐1) was conducted to address concerns about adults using the Internet to sexually solicit youth, young people encountering sexual material online and youth being threatened and harassed through the Internet. While YISS‐1 found that many youth who used the Internet encountered such episodes, most of these incidents were relatively mild and not very disturbing to youth. However, some were serious and distressing. We conducted the second Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS‐2) in 2005 to reassess the extent to which young Internet users were encountering problems five years later, gauge whether the incidence and characteristics of these episodes had changed, explore new areas of interest, review emerging technologies, ascertain the effect those technologies have on the issue, and assess threats to youth. Compared to YISS‐1, the results of YISS‐2 showed that a smaller proportion of youth had received unwanted online sexual solicitations and a smaller proportion had interacted online with strangers. However, larger proportions of youth reported being exposed to pornography they did not want to see and were being harassed online. In 2010, the third Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS‐3) was conducted to continue to track existing trends in the number and types of threats youth encounter using technology; assess risks of new behaviors and activities, including youth creating and distributing explicit images of themselves and/or peers; assess benefits and utilization of safety programs and technologies; and identify activities and behaviors most closely associated with risk. This document reviews key findings from YISS‐3. Details: Durham: University of New Hampshire, 2014. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2016 at: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Sexual%20Solicitation%201%20of%204%20YISS%20Bulletins%20Feb%202014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Sexual%20Solicitation%201%20of%204%20YISS%20Bulletins%20Feb%202014.pdf Shelf Number: 138461 Keywords: Child Sexual ExploitationInternet CrimesInternet SafetyOnline VictimizationPornographySocial Media |
Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada Title: 2013-2014 Evaluation of the National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet Summary: The National Strategy for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation on the Internet (the National Strategy) is a horizontal initiative providing a comprehensive, coordinated approach to enhancing the protection of children on the Internet and pursuing those who use technology to prey on them. The evaluation covered the activities delivered under the National Strategy by Public Safety Canada, including: the Canadian Centre for Child Protection as a funding recipient for the management of the national tipline Cybertip.ca, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (through NCECC-National Child Exploitation Coordination Centre, a national division of the Canadian Police Centre for Missing and Exploited Children/Behavioural Sciences Branch) and the Department of Justice. The evaluation included the Contribution Program to Combat Child Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking and its administration by Public Safety Canada. The scope of the evaluation covered the time period over the past five years (July 2008 to December 2013). There is a continued need to address the sexual exploitation of children on the Internet. Evidence shows increasing trends in the number of reported offences, the availability of material and the severity of these criminal acts. The increasing use of the Internet, mobile technologies and social media have facilitated the sexual exploitation of children. Concerns about child pornography have extended to the availability of material on peer-to-peer networks, the "dark Web" and through encrypted technologies. The problem extends well beyond Canada's borders. Law enforcement faces increasing challenges posed by transnational child sex offenders in addition to online child sexual exploitation offences in general. These types of international investigations are appropriately characterized as increasingly complex. The National Strategy remains relevant to ensure national collaboration and a consistent national approach, as well as cooperation with the international community. The evaluation points to a continued need for improved data collection, increased research efforts and enhanced information exchange at the national level in order to better understand the underpinnings and contributing factors surrounding online child sexual exploitation. There may be a need to revisit the current mandate as a number of areas of concern are expanding (e.g. transnational child sex offenders, self-peer exploitation or "sexting", cyberbullying, sextortion, sexualized child modelling) that were not originally envisioned by the National Strategy. Increased public reporting continues to put resourcing pressures on the law enforcement community. There is also evidence to indicate that there is still a need to increase knowledge and awareness about Internet child sexual exploitation and that the issue needs to be addressed through a multi-faceted approach (e.g. socially through education and prevention, and complemented by law enforcement efforts). The National Strategy aligns with federal priorities and the departmental mandates of the federal Strategy partners. The safety and security of children is central to the federal strategic priorities as reflected in numerous legislative initiatives, ministerial press releases, official documents and initiatives, and is consistent with the federal commitment made most recently in the 2013 Speech from the Throne. The National Strategy aligns with federal legislative roles and responsibilities of Strategy partners and the broad role of the federal government in the safety and security of Canadians. Investigations cross jurisdictions and require the collaboration and coordination of many stakeholders nationally and internationally. There is an opportunity for PS to provide greater leadership at the national level in areas of cooperation and in facilitating data collection, research and information sharing. The National Strategy also supports international commitments aimed at combating child sexual exploitation on the Internet. Evidence suggests that initiatives by other jurisdictions or non-profit organizations tend to complement the National Strategy. However, there may be opportunities for greater synergy and collaboration, especially between the federal government and provinces and territories in order to ensure that federal investments are targeted to areas of greatest need. In support of this, Strategy partners continue to develop partnerships with provinces, non-governmental organizations and private industry as well as participate in the Federal/Provincial/Territorial committees. From an enforcement perspective, the Strategy helps avoid duplication by providing a centralized coordinated approach and central point of contact for investigations that cross multiple jurisdictions nationally and internationally. Without a centralized coordinated approach, it was suggested that the system in Canada would be disparate. Despite the different organizations involved at various levels, efforts aimed at coordinating investigations internationally are seen as complementary rather than duplicative. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2015. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: 2015-05-27: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/vltn-prtctn-chldrn-2013-14/vltn-prtctn-chldrn-2013-14-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/vltn-prtctn-chldrn-2013-14/vltn-prtctn-chldrn-2013-14-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 139843 Keywords: Child PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual ExploitationInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSexting |
Author: Zweig, Janine M. Title: Technology, Teen Dating Violence and Abuse, and Bullying Summary: This study explores the role of technology in teen dating violence and abuse and teen bullying. The researchers surveyed 5,647 youth-more than any previous analysis-in 10 northeastern schools. Twenty-six percent of dating teens reported experiencing abuse online or through texts from their partners, and 17 percent of all youth said they were cyber bullied by a peer. Teenage girls reported experiencing more digital dating abuse (particularly sexual abuse) and cyber bullying than teenage boys. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, Justice Policy Center, 2013. 197p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/412891-Technology-Teen-Dating-Violence-and-Abuse-and-Bullying.PDF Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/412891-Technology-Teen-Dating-Violence-and-Abuse-and-Bullying.PDF Shelf Number: 130007 Keywords: Bullying Cyberbullying Cybercrime Dating Violence Online Victimization |
Author: Wittes, Benjamin Title: Sextortion: Cybersecurity, teenagers, and remote sexual assault Summary: This paper represents an effort to our knowledge the first to study in depth and across jurisdictions the problems of sextortion. In it, we look at the methods used by perpetrators and the prosecutorial tools authorities have used to bring offenders to justice. We hope that by highlighting the scale and scope of the problem, and the brutality of these cases for the many victims they affect, to spur a close look at both state and federal laws under which these cases get prosecuted. Our key findings include: - Sextortion is dramatically understudied. While it's an acknowledged problem both within law enforcement and among private advocates, no government agency publishes data on its prevalence; no private advocacy group does either. The subject lacks an academic literature. Aside from a few prosecutors and investigators who have devoted significant energy to the problem over time, and a few journalists who have written-often excellently- about individual cases, the problem has been largely ignored. - Yet sextortion is surprisingly common. We identified 78 cases that met our definition of the crime-and a larger number that contained significant elements of the crime but that, for one reason or another, did not fully satisfy our criteria. These cases were prosecuted in 29 states and territories of the United States and three foreign jurisdictions. - Sextortionists, like other perpetrators of sex crimes, tend to be prolific repeat players. Among the cases we studied, authorities identified at least 10 victims in 25 cases. In 13 cases, moreover, there were at least 20 identified victims. And in four cases, investigators identified more than 100 victims. The numbers get far worse if you consider prosecutorial estimates of the number of additional victims in each case, rather than the number of specifically identified victims. In 13 cases, prosecutors estimated that there were more than 100 victims; in two, prosecutors estimated that there had been "hundreds, if not thousands" of victims. - Sextortion perpetrators are, in the cases we have seen, uniformly male. Victims, by contrast, vary. Virtually all of the adult victims in these cases are female, and adult sextortion therefore appears to be a species of violence against women. On the other hand, most sextortion victims in this sample are children, and a sizable percentage of the child victims turn out to be boys. - There is no consistency in the prosecution of sextortion cases. Because no crime of sextortion exists, the cases proceed under a hodgepodge of state and federal laws. Some are prosecuted as child pornography cases. Some are prosecuted as hacking cases. Some are prosecuted as extortions. Some are prosecuted as stalkings. Conduct that seems remarkably similar to an outside observer produces actions under the most dimly-related of statutes. - These cases thus also produce wild, and in in our judgment indefensible, disparities in sentencing. Many sextortionists, particularly those who prey on minors, receive lengthy sen - tences under child pornography laws. On the other hand, others-like Mijangos-receive sentences dramatically lighter than they would get for multiple physical attacks on even a fraction of the number of people they are accused of victimizing. In our sample, one perpetrator received only three years in prison for victimizing up to 22 young boys. 36 Another received only 30 months for a case in which federal prosecutors identified 15 separate victims. 37 - Sentencing is particularly light in one of two key circumstances: (1) when all victims are adults and federal pros - ecutors thus do not have recourse to the child pornography statutes, or (2) in cases prosecuted at the state level. - Sextortion is brutal. This is not a matter of playful consensual sexting-a subject that has received ample attention from a shocked press. Sextortion, rather, is a form of sexual exploitation, coercion, and violence, often but not always of children. In many cases, the perpetrators seem to take pleasure in their victims' pleading and protes - tations that they are scared and underage. In multiple cases we have reviewed, victims contemplate, threaten, or even attempt suicide-sometimes to the apparent pleasure of their tormentors. 38 At least two cases involve either a father or stepfather tormenting children living in his house. 39 Some of the victims are very young. And the impacts on victims can be severe and likely lasting. Many cases result, after all, in images permanently on the Internet on multiple child pornography sites following extended periods of coercion. - Certain jurisdictions have seen a disproportionate number of sextortion cases. This almost certainly reflects devoted investigators and prosecutors in those locales, and not a higher incidence of the offense. Rather, our data suggest that sextortion is taking place anywhere social media penetration is ubiquitous. The paper proceeds in several distinct parts. We begin with a literature review of the limited existing scholarship and data on sextortion. We then outline our methodology for collecting and analyzing data for the present study. We then offer a working definition of sextortion. In the subsequent section, we provide a sketch of the aggregate sta - tistics revealed by our data concerning the scope of the sextortion problem, and we examine the statutes used and sentences delivered in federal and state sextortion cases. We then turn to detailing several specific case studies in sextortion. In our last empirical section, we look briefly at the victim impact of these crimes. Finally, we offer several recommendations for policymakers, law enforcement, parents, teachers, and victims. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution, 2016. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sextortion1-1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sextortion1-1.pdf Shelf Number: 140158 Keywords: Child PornographyComputer CrimeCybersecurityOnline VictimizationSex CrimesSextingSextortion |
Author: Cross, Cassandra Title: The Reporting Experiences and Support Needs of Victims of Online Fraud Summary: Although fraud has been practiced throughout history, the advent of the internet has created new and effective avenues for targeting potential victims. Victims of online fraud experience substantial financial and other harms, resulting in annual losses in Australia of more than $2b, significant organisational disruption and devastating human suffering. Prior research in this area has generally been conducted through victim surveys and the analysis of official administrative datasets, but little research has involved speaking with victims of online fraud about their experiences. This paper presents the results of in-depth interviews conducted with a sample of 80 individuals from across Australia who lodged complaints of online fraud involving losses of $10,000 or more over the preceding four years. Their stories illustrate the financial impact of fraud and the emotional, psychological, interpersonal and physical impacts of their victimisation. They also document the barriers they faced in reporting these crimes. The paper concludes by identifying the support needs of victims of online fraud. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 518: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi518.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi518.pdf Shelf Number: 145630 Keywords: Consumer FraudFraudOnline VictimizationVictims of Crime |
Author: Wittes, Benjamin Title: Closing the sextortion sentencing gap: A legislative proposal Summary: On the surface, at least, the sextortion case of Joseph Simone seems far more egregious than does that of Joshua Blankenship. Simone was a wrestling coach at a prestigious preparatory high school in Providence, Rhode Island. He was charged with sextorting "numerous" minor males; prosecutors estimated that he had exploited at least 22 young boys through a social media manipulation scheme, pretending to be a young girl when soliciting initial nude images, and then threatening to release those initial images on Facebook if the boys did not perform more sex acts. Blankenship also ran a social media manipulation scheme - but in this instance, against a single minor female in Maryland, convincing her that she had broken the law herself by sending out a nude photo, and demanding more images in exchange for not telling the police. But Blankenship was sentenced in federal court, whereas Simone faced trial in state court in Rhode Island, specifically in the Providence Superior Court. The result? The man with at least 22 victims was sentenced to one year in prison and two more in home confinement. By contrast, Blankenship, who had only one victim, received 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal child exploitation charges. What sort of sentence does conduct like Simone's get a man in federal court? Another sextortionist, William T. Koch, was convicted in a federal court in Ohio on charges that he too extorted 20 minor males, with one victim as young as 11-years-old. Koch was sentenced to 20 years in prison on federal charges of extortion, exploitation of a minor, and receipt and distribution of child pornography. Sextortionists dont get to decide which jurisdiction prosecutes them. They do, however, get to choose their victims. And it matters a great deal which ones they choose. Mark Reynolds was sentenced to 14 years in prison on one federal charge of possession of child pornography for sextorting one minor female using a social media manipulation scheme. Contrast that with Adam Paul Savader, who sextorted between 15 and 45 adult women and received a paltry sentence of two-and-a-half years in federal prison. Savader was convicted on charges of interstate extortion and stalking. Reynolds received eleven-and-a-half years more in prison than did Savader, even though Savader potentially had up to 44 more victims. Federal law seems to care a great deal more about children than it does about adult women. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution, 2016. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2016 at: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sextortion2.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sextortion2.pdf Shelf Number: 147931 Keywords: Child Pornography Computer Crime Cybersecurity Online Victimization Sex Crimes Sexting SextortionSexual Violence |
Author: Cross, Cassandra Title: Improving responses to online fraud victims: An examination of reporting and support Summary: This study was developed to understand the needs of fraud victims through in-depth interviews conducted with 80 individuals from across Australia who lodged complaints of online fraud involving losses of $10,000 or more in the preceding four years to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) "Scamwatch" website or hotline. The aims of the study were: to document the various impacts and harms that victims of online fraud experience; to examine the reasons why some individuals choose to report online fraud to authorities, while others fail to make reports; and to determine how the support needs of this group of victims might best be met. The personal stories of those interviewed describe the financial impact of what occurred, as well as a range of emotional, psychological, interpersonal and physical impacts resulting from their victimisation. In addition, the barriers to reporting the crimes they suffered officially are documented. The report concludes by identifying what victims of online fraud really want in terms of support from government and non-government bodies, friends, relatives and counsellors. Research participants The 80 participants ranged in age from 30 to 77 years, with a mean age of 56. Forty-six (58%) were male and thirty-four (42%) were female. Participants identified as being from a wide range of countries of birth, predominantly Australia (68%), the United Kingdom (11%) and New Zealand (5%). Participants resided in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Financial impact Reported financial losses ranged from $10,000 to approximately $500,000. In many cases, participants were not able to indicate precisely how much money they had lost to online fraud, as often losses had been incurred over a lengthy period of time (up to several years) while in other cases, victims had simply lost track of how much money they had sent. Some victims, however, suffered substantial and debilitating financial impacts. Some of the current participants described losing all their superannuation, being 'sucked dry', having to pay off loans over periods of months or years, 'losing everything', losing their life savings, not being able to afford to buy food, and 'throwing good money after bad' by hiring lawyers or pursuing civil proceedings against perpetrators. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2016. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://www.crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/29-1314-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/29-1314-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 145372 Keywords: Corporate CrimeFinancial CrimesFraudOnline VictimizationScams |
Author: Dwyer, R. Gregg Title: Protecting Children Online: Using Research-Based Algorithms to Prioritize Law Enforcement Internet Investigation Summary: here is increasing public and professional concern about Internet sexual offending, as reflected in increasing law enforcement cases and clinical referrals. While all instances of Internet offending against minors require intervention, the number of cases and the overarching goal of protecting children require law enforcement to prioritize cases. This project used data from 20 Internet Crimes Against Children task forces across the United States -- offender characteristics, crime characteristics, and online behavior -- to develop empirically-based recommendations to assist law enforcement in prioritizing: (1) cases involving production of child pornography over possession/distribution; (2) cases involving online luring for the purpose of meeting the minor to commit sexual offenses, over luring restricted to online behavior such as sexual chat or exchanging pornographic images; and (3) cases involving offenders who have committed contact sexual offenses against children over cases involving offenders with no known history. The research builds on a previous OJJDP-funded project by increasing the number of task forces and thereby sample size in order to develop practical recommendations, and adding a new component - a geographical analysis of cases - that will assist decision makers in the allocation of training and resources across the United States in order to combat online sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Details: Charleston, SC: Medical University of South Carolina, 2016. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250154.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250154.pdf Shelf Number: 145106 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual ExploitationOnline Victimization |
Author: Tompson, Trevor Title: The Digital Abuse Study: Experiences of Teens and Young Adults Summary: Digital abuse is any type of bullying or harassing behavior that occurs online, through social networking, text messaging, or other technologies. These acts include anything from sending or posting mean or threatening messages about another person to disclosing private information without permission. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that, similar to traditional forms of bullying, digital bullying is associated with emotional distress and trouble at school. In response to growing concerns about the harmful effects of digital abuse, both public and private sector organizations initiated campaigns and interventions aimed at educating young people about appropriate online behavior and how to deal with digital abuse when it happens. Seeking to contribute rigorous research on this issue, MTV and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted a national survey of 1,297 teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 24 to gain a fresh look at digital use and abuse among young people in the United States and to update previous estimates from AP and MTV on the number of teens and young adults involved in or affected by digital abuse. The key findings from the study, summarized below, provide much-needed information on these changing trends. This survey gives a voice to young Americans and contributes to an in-depth public discourse on the issue. - Digital abuse affects a large number of teenagers and young adults. Nearly half of all young people 14-24 report being electronically harassed in some form, 40 percent report incidences of digital dating abuse, and 11 percent have shared naked pictures of themselves. - Trends do show a decline in the number of young people affected by digital abuse since 2011. Forty-nine percent of young people surveyed say they have been electronically harassed in at least one of the ways included in the 2013 survey. This represents a 7-point decrease from 56 percent in 2011. Twenty-six percent of teenagers and young adults say they have participated in some form of sexting, down 6 percentage points from 32 percent in 2011. Details: Chicago: NORC at the University of Chicago, 2013. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://www.apnorc.org/PDFs/Digital%20Abuse/AP-NORC%20Center%20and%20MTV_Digital%20Abuse%20Study_FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.apnorc.org/PDFs/Digital%20Abuse/AP-NORC%20Center%20and%20MTV_Digital%20Abuse%20Study_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 140677 Keywords: Online VictimizationSexting |
Author: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention Title: Connected Dot Com: Young People's Navigation of Online Risks Summary: This study explores young people's use of social media, the dangers faced online, and the ways in which young people negotiate their own safety online. It was conducted through focus groups in 93 schools across SA in tandem with the 2012 National School Violence Study. Details: Cape Town, South Africa: CJCP, 2013. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2016 at: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/connected_dot_com.pdf Year: 2013 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/connected_dot_com.pdf Shelf Number: 145877 Keywords: Child ProtectionOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children Title: On solid ground:Tackling sexual violence against children in the Netherlands Summary: Sexual violence against children takes many different forms: the mother who commits incest with her son, the boy who rapes his girlfriend, the teacher who watches child pornography, the man who induces girls to undress in front of the webcam. In the Dutch Criminal Code, various forms of sexual violence are defined as criminal offences, ranging from rape to indecent assault and grooming. Where possible, the report follows this legal framework. Topics such as identification of victims and providing assistance for them, however, are addressed from a psychological perspective (does a person regard him- or herself as a victim of sexual violence). Details: The Hague: National Rapporteur, 2014. 354p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2016 at: www.dutchrapporteur.nl Year: 2014 Country: Netherlands URL: www.dutchrapporteur.nl Shelf Number: 140094 Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Online VictimizationSexual Violence |
Author: Great Britain. Department for Culture, Media and Sport Title: Child Safety Online: Age Verification for Pornography Consultation Response Summary: The manifesto commitment: 'We will stop children's exposure to harmful sexualised content online, by requiring age verification for access to all sites containing pornographic material' As was set out in our consultation, the Government's preferred approach to delivering this commitment is to establish a new law, requiring age verification (AV) controls for online pornography this was the manifesto commitment, and following consideration of the consultation responses, remains the Government’s intention. To underpin this, we will also establish a new regulatory framework, and we will ensure a proportionate approach by enabling the regulator to act in a sufficiently flexible and targeted way. Following analysis of the responses to the consultation, Government will now take several next steps. We will: 1. Bring forward legislation, in the Digital Economy Bill, to establish a new law requiring age verification for commercial pornographic websites and applications containing still and moving images, and a new regulatory framework to underpin it 2. Continue to work with payments firms and ancillary companies to ensure that the business models and profits of companies that do not comply with the new regulations can be undermined 3. Maintain ongoing engagement with pornography providers, age verification providers, and other parts of the industry, to ensure that the regulatory framework is targeted and proportionate, to achieve maximum impact and to enable compliance 4. Continue to work on broader internet safety issues, including work led by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), and raising awareness and resilience Details: London: Department for Culture, Media & Sport, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2016 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/534965/20160705_AVConsultationResponseFINAL__2_.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/534965/20160705_AVConsultationResponseFINAL__2_.pdf Shelf Number: 147419 Keywords: Child ProtectionInternet SafetyOnline CommunicationOnline VictimizationPornography |
Author: Alazab, Mamoun Title: Spam and criminal activity Summary: The rapid growth of the internet is transforming how we engage and communicate. It also creates new opportunities for fraud and data theft. One way cybercriminals exploit the vulnerabilities of new technologies and potential victims is the use of deceptive emails on a massive scale. In a sample of more than 13 million emails identified as spam, more than 100,000 contained malicious attachments; nearly 1.4 million contained malicious web links. If opened, these attachments and links could infect the recipients' devices with software that allows cybercriminals to remotely access them. This paper describes how crime groups increasingly adopt novel approaches to cybercrime. Increased law enforcement capacity, the cultivation of high-level coordination between industry, government and police, and the further development of machine learning techniques should be at the forefront of government initiatives in this area. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 526: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi526.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi526.pdf Shelf Number: 147867 Keywords: Computer CrimesCybercrimeInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSpam |
Author: Jutte, Sonja Title: Online Child Sexual Abuse Images: Doing More to Tackle Demand and Supply Summary: The production and consumption of child abuse images online is creating a social emergency. Digital technology is making it ever easier for this abuse to proliferate, damaging the many children involved in this vile trade. But by each of us playing a part, and taking collective responsibility to keep our children safe, we can find solutions. Behind each and every child sexual abuse image, abuse has occurred in the "real" world. These children are victims every time their image is viewed, and worse still, the knowledge that the image or film can be repeatedly viewed, and may never be removed, causes on-going trauma that they are forced to live with. And, to further heighten the seriousness of this abuse, we know there have been cases where the viewing of child abuse images escalates into abuse in real life. This is an issue of considerable importance to the NSPCC. The challenge we are faced with is sizeable. There are many praiseworthy endeavours, and much valuable work already happening to try to keep our children safer online. It is almost universally agreed that this material is illegal and wrong. But more must and can be done. Better understanding of the scale, nature and urgency of the challenge is vital. Ensuring that everyone - industry, government, law enforcement and charities like the NSPCC - plays their part is crucial. And a greater public understanding of the problem and its effects on children is also needed. In this report, the NSPCC explores new evidence about size of the problem and presents real, tangible solutions to reduce both the supply of and demand for these images. Children must have the right to easily remove sexual images of themselves that are shared online. More treatment and support services are needed to stop potential perpetrators in their tracks. Most importantly we must continue to seek new preventive solutions to stop these crimes from happening in the first place. This report sheds light on where we should focus our collective effort. Details: London: NSPCC, 2016. 440. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2016 at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/online-child-sexual-abuse-images.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/online-child-sexual-abuse-images.pdf Shelf Number: 145578 Keywords: Child PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Gagliardone, Iginio Title: Countering Online Hate Speech Summary: Hate speech online is situated at the intersection of multiple tensions: it is the expression of conflicts between different groups within and across societies; it is a vivid example of how technologies with a transformative potential such as the Internet bring with them both opportunities and challenges; and it implies complex balancing between fundamental rights and principles, including freedom of expression and the defence of human dignity. As the UN agency with a specific mandate to foster freedom of expression, and its corollaries, press freedom and freedom of information, UNESCO is actively working to promote mutual knowledge and understanding of peoples, through all means of mass communication, including the Internet in general, and social networking platforms in particular. The roots of the research presented in this current publication lie in UNESCO’s fulfilment of Resolution 52 of its 37th General Conference in November 2013, as agreed by the Organization’s 195 Member States. This resolution called for a comprehensive and consultative multistakeholder study, within the mandate of UNESCO, on Internet-related issues of access to information and knowledge, freedom of expression, privacy, and the ethical dimensions of the Information Society. The research into hate speech served as a contribution towards the wider study.1 The present report provides a global overview of the dynamics characterizing hate speech online and some of the measures that have been adopted to counteract and mitigate it, highlighting good practices that have emerged at the local and global levels. While the study offers a comprehensive analysis of the international, regional and national normative frameworks developed to address hate speech online, and their repercussions for freedom of expression, it places particular emphasis on social and non-regulatory mechanisms that can help to counter the production, dissemination and impact of hateful messages online. The findings of this study can be grouped around four main tensions: definition, jurisdiction, comprehension, and intervention. ● Definition. Hate speech is a broad and contested term. Multilateral treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) have sought to define its contours. Multi-stakeholders processes (e.g. the Rabat Plan of Action) have been initiated to bring greater clarity and suggest mechanisms to identify hateful messages. And yet, hate speech continues largely to be used in everyday discourse as a generic term, mixing concrete threats to individuals’ and groups’ security with cases in which people may be simply venting their anger against authority. Internet intermediaries – organizations that mediate online communication such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google – have advanced their own definitions of hate speech that bind users to a set of rules and allow companies to limit certain forms of expression. National and regional bodies have sought to promote understandings of the term that are more rooted in local traditions. Against this backdrop, the possibility of reaching a universally shared definition seems unlikely, a shared interest to avoid violence and protect human dignity has made debates on hate speech a moment for different stakeholders to come together in original ways and seek locally relevant solutions. ● Jurisdiction. The Internet’s speed and reach makes it difficult for governments to enforce national legislation in the virtual world. Issues around hate speech online bring into clear relief the emergence of private spaces for expression that serve a public function (e.g. Facebook, Twitter), and the challenges that these spaces pose for regulators. Despite initial resistance, and following public pressure, some of the companies owning these spaces have become more responsive towards tackling the problem of hate speech online, although they have not (yet) been fully incorporated into global debates (e.g. the Rabat Plan of Action) about how to identify and respond to hate speech. ● Comprehension. The character of hate speech online and its relation to offline speech and action are poorly understood. These topics are widely talked about – by politicians, activists and academics – but the debates tend to be removed from systematic empirical evidence. The character of perceived hate speech and its possible consequences has led to placing much emphasis on the solutions to the problem and on how they should be grounded in international human rights norms. Yet this very focus has also limited deeper attempts to understand the causes underlying the phenomenon and the dynamics through which certain types of content emerge, diffuse and lead – or not – to actual discrimination, hostility or violence. This study offers various examples of research aimed at mapping the emergence and diffusion of speech online, but also highlights the lack of studies examining the links between hate speech online and other social phenomena, ranging from access to education to rising inequalities. Details: Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2015. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2016 at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002332/233231e.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002332/233231e.pdf Shelf Number: 144890 Keywords: Computer CrimesHate CrimesHate SpeechInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Krone, Tony Title: Trajectories in online child sexual exploitation offending in Australia Summary: Although the full extent and nature of the sexual exploitation of children is only beginning to be recognised, it is a problem of global significance that requires strong and effective responses. The extent to which the viewing of child exploitation material (CEM) is linked to involvement in producing such material, sharing it and using it to groom and then assault children is a key concern. Most such material is held online, and it is important to understand how offenders use the internet to access CEM and to groom children for sexual exploitation. This exploratory study examines data relating to a sample of offenders convicted of online child sexual exploitation offences under Australian Commonwealth law, to determine how online forms of child sexual exploitation and offline child sexual exploitation, or contact offending, are related. The majority of offenders in this study appeared to commit only online offences, although in a minority of cases there was a connection between exploitative material, grooming and contact offending. This study is an important early step in improving our understanding of offenders and points to the need for further assessment of the nature of online child sexual exploitation and its relationship to other forms of sexual and violent offences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 524: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi524.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi524.pdf Shelf Number: 145098 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual ExploitationComputer Crimes Internet Crimes Online VictimizationSex Offenders |
Author: Irwin-Rogers, Keir Title: Social Media as a Catalyst and Trigger for Youth Violence Summary: Social media now plays a central role in the lives of young people in the UK, with the vast majority of teenagers using smartphones and tablets to access online platforms throughout their waking hours. The integration of social media into the daily lives of young people has left online - offline boundaries increasingly blurred. Whilst online activity offers huge potential to enhance the quantity and quality of communication between people across the world, it also raises some serious challenges. This report focuses on one of these challenges, namely, the links between young people's use of social media and youth violence. Whilst social media platforms are being used to glamorise, display and incite serious acts of violence, this content currently drifts under the radar of responsible adults and organisations which have the potential to respond to and challenge this behaviour. The report makes for uncomfortable reading, particularly for those who work with young people and recognise the daily challenges that many face. The attitudes and behaviour of the young people discussed in this report must be viewed within the wider social and economic context of their lives. Many will have grown up in areas of socioeconomic deprivation, may be struggling to cope with serious issues around trauma stemming from early childhood experiences and are therefore exhibiting attitudes and behaviours that are tragically understandable when considered in this context. All of the findings presented in this report are intended to be read in light of the above. By highlighting the ways in which social media is acting as a catalyst and trigger for serious incidents of violence between young people in real life, the report provides a springboard for action and collaborative exchanges between a full range of stakeholders as we move forward. It identifies a number of measures aimed at preventing young people harming, and being harmed by, other young people as a result of activity on social media. Its recommendations, however, should not be taken as a fixed blueprint, but as a means of kick-starting the development of appropriate and effective policy and practice in this area. 1.1 Key findings - No holds barred online: Because social media is commonly perceived to be hidden from adults, a virtual free-for-all space has emerged in which a small minority of young people share various forms of material that both display and incite serious incidents of violence in real life. - Impact of the smartphone: Whilst some of the online activities discussed in this report have been occurring for several years, they now pose far greater challenges because of the recent developments in smartphone technology, which have radically altered both the nature and prevalence of young people's use of social media. - Growing audience: By collapsing time and space, social media platforms are providing young people with unprecedented opportunities to disrespect one another. Before the advent of these platforms, incidents of violence, disrespect and provocation were typically confined to relatively small audiences, as well as a single location and point in time. Now, however, visceral displays of violence and disrespect are being captured via photographs and videos, and may be replayed at any time as the content spreads virally over multiple platforms. In addition, the enhanced audience size facilitated by social media makes violent retaliation more likely because of the unprecedented potential for disrespectful online activity to undermine young people's perceived status and reputation. - Threats and provocation in music videos: Young people and professionals reported concerns around what they referred to as drill music videos, which threaten and provoke individuals and groups from rival areas. A clear distinction must be made between the vast majority of music videos that simply provide a raw reflection of the realities of young people's lives (content that does not provoke real-life violence), and a much smaller number of videos that go well beyond this, through displays of young people brandishing weapons, incendiary remarks about recent incidents of young people being seriously injured and killed, and explicit threats to stab or shoot specific individuals and members of rival groups. - Violent intent is the exception rather than the norm: It is important to highlight that the vast majority of young people do not want to live the violent and risky lifestyles that are being glamorised in drill music videos. Many attempt to launch careers as music artists as a means of escaping life 'on road'. In addition, these videos should not be seen as a root cause of youth violence. According to young people and professionals, however, they are acting as a catalyst and trigger for serious incidents of face-to-face violence between young people. - Daily exposure to online violence: A small minority of young people are exposed daily to social media content that displays or incites serious violence in real life. This includes uploads of photos and videos of individuals and groups trespassing into areas associated with rival groups, and serious incidents of theft and violence perpetrated against young people. Some of the latter are being taken within prison settings 5 and broadcast live over social media by prisoners with access to smartphones. Some social media accounts are dedicated entirely to archiving and sharing material that displays young people being seriously harmed, disrespected and humiliated. - Social pressures: When young people are disrespected by content uploaded to social media, this can generate significant social pressure to retaliate in real life to protect their perceived status and reputation. Moreover, when young people witness graphic displays of real-life violence involving their friends and family, this can leave them suffering from significant levels of anxiety and trauma. Those who initially upload the content disrespecting a particular individual or group become prone to retaliatory acts of serious violence and theft, which in turn are often recorded and broadcast over social media, creating a vicious cycle of retaliation. - Vulnerability of young women: Professionals and young people reported cases of girls being violently attacked and sexually assaulted by members of rival groups after appearing in content uploaded online. In addition, professionals described cases in which young women who commented on content uploaded to social media were subsequently groomed and pressured into risky activities such as holding and storing weapons or drugs. - Negative implications for education and employment: The social media accounts of some people who self-identify as being part of a street gang are being followed by tens of thousands of young people. This continuous lens into a seemingly seductive and lucrative lifestyle that glamorises violence and the pursuit of money through illegal activities such as drug distribution further undermines the commitment of some young people to education and legitimate forms of employment. Details: London: Catch22, 2017. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2017 at: http://eugangs.eu/pdf/05012017/Catch22-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eugangs.eu/pdf/05012017/Catch22-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 146029 Keywords: Media ViolenceOnline VictimizationSmartphonesSocial MediaViolenceViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Ybarra, Michele Title: Intimate Partner Digital Abuse Summary: Digital tools are often an integral part of healthy romantic relationships. Romantic partners frequently use digital tools to connect with each other through text messages, photo-sharing, social media posts, and other online activities. These same digital tools can be used in unhealthy ways, facilitating negative behaviors such as monitoring, unwanted picture sharing, and abusive messages — both within the romantic relationship and after the relationship is over. Better understanding how often intimate partner digital abuse is happening, to whom, and in what ways are critical pieces to understanding the scope of the problem. This report, part of a series of research reports on digital harassment and abuse, examines the prevalence and impact of intimate partner digital abuse. Findings are based upon the results of a nationally representative survey of 3,002 Americans 15 years of age and older conducted from May 17th through July 31st, 2016. Respondents were surveyed on either their landline or cell phone. Interviews were conducted in either English or Spanish. Findings in this report refer to the 2,810 respondents who have ever been in a romantic relationship. 12% of respondents who have ever been in a romantic relationship have experienced intimate partner digital abuse In order to examine the types of intimate partner digital abuse that respondents have experienced, we asked about 10 different types of online harassment and abuse. Experiences included being monitored online or by phone, being purposefully embarrassed online, being called offensive names, and being stalked. Because they could be perpetrated by anyone, those who said they had these experiences were then asked who the perpetrator was. Respondents who said they were targeted by a current or former romantic partner are said to have experienced intimate partner digital abuse. Overall, one in eight (12%) respondents who have ever had a romantic partner have been digitally harassed by a romantic partner in at least one of the 10 ways we asked about. These experiences were more common among particular individuals: • Three times as many younger people (22%) as those who were 30 years or older (8%) reported being digitally harassed by a current or former romantic partner. • 38% of individuals who identified as LGB have experienced intimate partner digital abuse, compared with 10% of heterosexual individuals. • More than two times as many divorced/separated (19%) and never married (18%) adults were digitally abused by a current or former romantic partner than people who were married/living with their partner (7%). Men and women experience intimate partner digital abuse at equal rates 12% of men have been targeted by a current or former romantic partner, as have 12% of women. This similarity in rates for men and women holds true for each of the different types of abuse we asked about. More victims with a history of intimate partner digital abuse experience personal or professional harms as a result of the abuse, compared with victims who have been targeted by other types of perpetrators Although we do not know whether this was a direct result of the intimate partner digital abuse or other digital harassment experiences perpetrated by non-romantic partners, more people who were targeted online by current or former romantic partners at some point in their lives reported harms as a result of online abuse compared to victims who were targeted by other types of perpetrators (e.g. friends, family, or strangers). Compared to almost one quarter (23%) of victims who had non-romantic partner perpetrators, more than three-quarters (77%) of victims with a history of intimate partner digital abuse experienced a personal or professional harm as a result of the abuse. Additionally, more victims who were targeted by an intimate partner said their reputation had been damaged (28%) or they had to shut down an online account or profile (25%) as a result of their digital abuse experiences compared to victims who were targeted by other types of perpetrators (8% and 11%, respectively). 77% of victims of intimate partner digital abuse have used at least one protective strategy; one in six have gotten a restraining order or protection order as a result of their digital abuse experiences The vast majority (77%) of victims of intimate partner digital abuse have taken some sort of protective action in response to their abusive experiences online, such as changing their contact information; reaching out to friends, family, or official sources of support; or withdrawing from communication platforms altogether — although we cannot say for sure whether these actions were taken as a result of digital abuse from their romantic partner or due to harassment from some other perpetrator. The most common protective strategy used by victims of intimate partner digital abuse was changing their phone number or email address (41%). In terms of seeking external support or protection, 16% have gotten a protection order or restraining order Details: New York: Data & Society Research Institute; San Clemente, CA: Center for Innovative Public health Research, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 01.18.17: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/Intimate_Partner_Digital_Abuse_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/Intimate_Partner_Digital_Abuse_2017.pdf Shelf Number: 141321 Keywords: Dating ViolenceInternet CrimesIntimate Partner ViolenceOnline CommunicationsOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Lenhart, Amanda Title: Online Harassment, Digital Abuse, and Cyberstalking in America Summary: The internet and digital tools play an increasingly central role in how Americans engage with their communities: How they find and share information; how they connect with their friends, family, and professional networks; how they entertain themselves; how they seek answers to sensitive questions; how they learn about—and access— the world around them. The internet is built on the ideal of the free flow of information, but it is also built on the ideal of free-flowing discourse. However, one persistent challenge to this ideal has been online harassment and abuse—unwanted contact that is used to create an intimidating, annoying, frightening, or even hostile environment for the victim and that uses digital means to reach the target. As with their traditional expressions, online harassment and abuse can affect many aspects of our digital lives. Even those who do not experience online harassment directly can see it and respond to its effects; even the threat of harassment can suppress the voices of many of our citizens. In order to explore these issues and the ways that online environments affect our experiences online, this report examines American teens’ and adults’ experiences with witnessing, experiencing, and responding to the aftermath of online harassment and abuse. Its findings are based on the results of a nationally representative survey of 3,002 Americans 15 and older conducted from May 17th through July 31st, 2016. Respondents were contacted by landline and cell phone, and interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. 47% of internet users have experienced online harassment or abuse In order to examine the types of harassment and abuse that Americans have personally experienced, we asked internet users about 20 harassing behaviors over the course of the survey. Overall, almost half (47%) of Americans have personally experienced one of the harassing behaviors we asked about. The types of harassing behaviors we studied fall into three broad categories: • Direct harassment refers to things that people do directly to one another. Examples include: being called offensive names, being threatened physically, and being stalked. 36% of internet users have experienced this type of harassment. • Invasion of privacy refers to harms done to the victim through the unauthorized access to and exposure or spreading of information beyond the owner’s control. Experiences include: being hacked, having information about or images of the person exposed online without their permission, being impersonated, being monitored, and being tracked online. 30% of internet users have experienced this type of harassment. • Denial of access occurs when someone uses the features of the technology or platform to harm the victim, usually by preventing access to essential digital tools or platforms. Examples include: sending a very large number of unwanted messages, rendering the account unusable; misuse of reporting tools so that the person is blocked from using a platform; and technical attacks that overwhelm a device, site, server or platform and prevent access to it. 17% of internet users have experienced this type of harassment. Overall, almost three-quarters (72%) of American internet users have witnessed online harassment or abuse, and almost half (47%) of Americans have personally experienced one of the harassing behaviors we asked about. Men and women are equally likely to face harassment, but women experience a wider variety of online abuse, including more serious violations. Young people and sexual minorities are also more likely to experience online harassment or abuse—and more likely to be affected by it A common theme throughout our findings is that young people under age 30 and sexual minorities (respondents who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual) were generally more likely to witness and/or experience online harassment or abuse. Black, sexual minority, and young Americans—especially young women— are also less likely than others to say that people are mostly kind to each other online, and more likely to say they self-censor what they post online in order to avoid harassment. Men are substantially less likely than women to describe what they experienced as harassment Internet users who have experienced harassing behaviors differ as to whether they think their experience constitutes ‘harassment’ or not. We found that women who have experienced the behaviors we asked about were substantially more likely than men who have experienced the same behaviors to say that they thought their experience constituted ‘harassment or abuse’ (53% of women who experienced harassing behaviors vs. 40% of men). Some behaviors were also more consistently considered ‘harassment’ by their targets. For instance, more than eight in ten people who experienced cyberstalking, sexual harassment, or persistent harassment agreed that their experiences constituted ‘online harassment or abuse,’ while fewer than six in ten people who experienced offensive name-calling said the same. Women were more likely than men to be angry, worried, or scared as a result of online harassment and abuse Among those who did say that what they experienced was online harassment and abuse, women were almost three times as likely as men to say the harassment made them feel scared, and twice as likely to say the harassment made them feel worried. Meanwhile, men who said they had been harassed were more likely than women to say they were ‘not bothered’ by the experience. However, almost all of those who were ‘not bothered’ also reported feeling another emotion (annoyed, worried, etc.) as well. 27% of all American internet users self-censor their online postings out of fear of online harassment More than a quarter of Americans (27%) say they have at some point decided not to post something online for fear of attracting harassment. While many internet users who have not encountered harassment still say they have self-censored to avoid potential harassment, people who have seen or experienced harassment online are much more likely to self-censor for this reason than those who have not. Looking at men and women of different age groups, we find that younger women are most likely to self-censor to avoid potential online harassment: 41% of women ages 15 to 29 self-censor, compared with 33% of men of the same age group and 24% of internet users ages 30 and older (men and women). Details: New York: Data & Society Research Institute; Clemente, CA: Center for Innovative Public Health Research, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 11.21.16: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: https://www.datasociety.net/pubs/oh/Online_Harassment_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.datasociety.net/pubs/oh/Online_Harassment_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 141322 Keywords: Computer CrimesCyberstalkingOnline CommunicationsOnline HarassmentOnline victimizationSocial Media |
Author: Lenhart, Amanda Title: Nonconsensual Image Sharing: One in 25 Americans Has Been A Victim of "Revenge Porn" Summary: Nonconsensual image sharing, also commonly called 'revenge porn,' is when someone shows, sends, or posts nude or nearly nude photos or videos of someone else without the consent of the person pictured. In some cases, the images are created consensually, such as when romantic partners take pictures for each other or together. In other cases, these images may be created nonconsensually, such as when someone is secretly or forcibly photographed or taped. These images are also posted online in different ways. Images are sometimes posted by a romantic partner in the aftermath of a break up or during a fight, or may be obtained by someone hacking into a private online space and stealing the images. In all cases, these sensitive images are shared with third parties without the consent of the person pictured. In 2014, nonconsensual image sharing made headlines when dozens of celebrities’ private photos were exposed. An Illinois man published over 500 photos of celebrities (almost all of them women) that he had stolen from their email and online storage accounts. He had obtained targets' login credentials through a series of phishing attacks over the course of almost a year. Victims of this hack included actresses, models, and athletes; many of the celebrities targeted have spoken out about the emotional distress they have experienced from this invasion of privacy. More recently, a Saturday Night Live castmember was targeted by hackers and trolls, who mounted a campaign of racist and sexist attacks against the comedian on social media. Later, hackers stole private information from her online storage accounts—including nude photos and images of sensitive documents, such as her driver’s license and passport. The hackers also compromised the comedian's private website, then published the stolen material and racist images on her site. The exposure of her private materials was one component of a campaign of intimidation and retribution for speaking out against her previous harassment. The harms from nonconsensual image sharing can be substantial; a single act of posting sensitive images can cause lasting and ongoing reputational damage to victims. These images are often posted alongside personally-identifying information about the victim when they are posted in online spaces, which can lead to additional harassment and threats from third parties. Even if the images are never actually posted publically, the perpetrator may use threats to post such images as a method of controlling or intimidating the victim. Until recently, victims of nonconsensual pornography often faced difficulty pursuing legal action against perpetrators. Some perpetrators and operators of "revenge porn" websites have been prosecuted under existing laws, such as the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), for hacking, impersonation, identify theft, and extortion. Legal scholar Amanda Levendowski has also written that because most of the images in question were originally taken by the victims themselves, they may be able to seek protection under copyright laws;12 some victims have submitted take-down requests to websites under the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). In response to the lack of specific criminal laws against nonconsensual pornography and a growing public awareness of the issue, more than 30 states have passed legislation over the past three years attempting to define and criminalize "revenge porn" and other types of nonconsensual pornography, according to George Washington University Law professor Orin Kerr. While national legislation has yet to be passed, U.S. Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA) introduced a bill criminalizing revenge porn in mid-2016. Details: New York: Data & Society Research Institute; San Clemente, CA: Center for Innovative Public Health Research, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Data Memo 12.13.2016: Accessed March 4, 2016 at: https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/Nonconsensual_Image_Sharing_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/Nonconsensual_Image_Sharing_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 146408 Keywords: Image SharingOnline VictimizationPornographyRevenge PornSexual HarassmentSocial Media |
Author: NetNames Title: Counting the Costs of Counterfeiting: A NetNames Report Summary: Today, the ease and reach of digital commerce presents extraordinary opportunities and serious threats to businesses, brands and consumers alike. The collision of counterfeiting, globalization and the fast-growing digital world has created a perfect storm, allowing the supply and demand for fake goods to converge. EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH In an environment where counterfeiting is as profitable as illegal drugs, but remains far less risky for criminals, we are seeing explosive growth. Expanding by over 15% every year, counterfeiting now costs more than 2% of total global economic output, or around $1.8 trillion per year. There is little doubt as to the crucial role played by the digital world in this meteoric rise, with a 15% increase in sales of counterfeit goods online last year. The internet has made counterfeiting a shifting problem that is difficult to combat. Rogue websites, online auctions and digital piracy all give counterfeiters lucrative and anonymous channels for their activities. PHARMA WORST AFFECTED While counterfeiting is a major challenge for every industry, pharma is the worst affected sector by any metric. Counterfeiters have claimed around a third of the entire market - worth some $200 billion - and are implicated in the deaths of up to one million people each year due to toxic or ineffective drugs. ENTER THE DRAGON: THE ROLE OF CHINA The United States, Europe and Australasia - the largest markets for fake goods - are all attempting to harmonize and intensify their multi-pronged strategy to combat counterfeiting and digital piracy. However, the tidal wave of counterfeit and grey-market goods from China shows little sign of being stemmed, remaining responsible for 70% of worldwide seizures. While global companies depend on Chinese manufacturing, this same ecosystem provides a haven of cheap labor and raw materials for counterfeiters. COST AND CONVENIENCE DRIVE CONSUMERS TO COUNTERFEITS Consumers remain largely innocent victims in this struggle, with 90% seeing counterfeiting as morally wrong. However, the demand for branded goods and the desire to find lower prices online mean that 28 consumers unknowingly buy fake goods for every person that does so intentionally. When consumers do deliberately consume counterfeit and pirated goods, cost and convenience are the major factors in their decision: 19% purchase fake products when the original is too expensive, while 22% will turn to digital piracy when there is no legal alternative. THE HEAVY TOLL ON BRANDS Counterfeiting creates a heavy financial burden for brands eroding profitability, market share and outside investment. While fake goods destroy around 10% of top-line revenues, they also force brands to make further investments in combatting the problem, and leave them less able to invest in future innovations. Even more insidious are the risks to both brand reputations and customers. Online, reputations can be instantly damaged in front of a global audience: 78% of consumers would shun a brand if they found themselves on a bogus website, even though the company itself was not negligent. Meanwhile, the risks to customers are not just financial, but also physical. G20 countries now see an estimated 3,000 deaths annually due to counterfeit consumer goods alone. NEW TECHNOLOGIES CREATE NEW RISKS Counterfeiters will continue to exploit the potential of new technologies and the digital world to further their reach, profitability and anonymity. The rise of mobile and social is fragmenting the online landscape - exposing brands not just to counterfeiting, but also to evolving threats such as phishing, cybersquatting, traffic diversion and other forms of online fraud. ACTION IS ESSENTIAL New technologies will also be critical to the fight against counterfeiting, with RFID, digital authentication and new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) all allowing brands to strengthen their posture against fraudsters. In particular, given the skyrocketing risks from the combination of digital channels and fake goods, a proactive and effective online anti-counterfeiting strategy is now essential for every brand to safeguard customers, revenues and reputation. Details: London: Digital Citizens Alliance, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2017 at: https://www.netnames.com/assets/shared/whitepaper/pdf/NetNames-Counterfeiting-Report-A4-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.netnames.com/assets/shared/whitepaper/pdf/NetNames-Counterfeiting-Report-A4-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 144902 Keywords: Consumer FraudConsumer ProtectionCosts of CrimeCounterfeit GoodsCounterfeitingFake GoodsFraudOnline Victimization |
Author: Wespieser, Karen Title: Young people and e-safety. The results of the 2015 London Grid for Learning e-safety survey Summary: The focus of the survey was to look at the wide and common online activities of London's young people. As found in previous LGfL surveys, children and young people use technology to have fun, study and communicate with others. Most children and young people have positive experiences online. On the whole they are sensible online and do not put themselves 'at risk'. However, there remain a number of areas where schools can support young people - and their families - in increasing their online safety. Nine out of ten young people access the Internet at home. Ten per cent of pupils therefore do not. Just over a third of young people would like more opportunity to use computers at school. As found in previous LGfL surveys , children and young people use technology to have fun, study and communicate with others. Most children and young people have positive experiences online. They are sensible online and do not put themselves 'at risk'. An increasing number of young people own their own device. Young people access the Internet through a range of devices but there are significant differences between boys and girls; boys use games consoles more than girls and more girls have a mobile device than boys. Very few young people report that they use these devices to access the Internet away from home. The home is therefore the key location for going online, outside of school. Forty per cent of 7-year-olds report that their parents always know what they do online; a percentage that (understandably) drops with age. Just over half of young people use a password on their device at home. This is slightly lower for devices that young people use at school. Of those that use a password, half report that someone else knows it, although the majority identified this person as a family member at home. Of those that use a password, a majority reported they do not change it regularly. Over half say that they never change it. Young people report that they spend their time online doing school work or studying. Three-quarters of young people report that they like playing games online but as they get older they play games less and spend more time on social networks and chat sites. Overall, the use of the Internet becomes more diverse as young people get older. There are also gender differences. More girls than boys listen or download music and use instant messaging. Conversely, more boys than girls report using YouTube and playing games. Many children play games not suitable for their age and a small but concerning minority play 18+ rated games. Of the young people playing age inappropriate games, two-thirds are boys. Furthermore, the greatest proportion of children who report playing these games also report they have parental consent. Unsuitable games include titles such as 'Grand Theft Auto' and 'Call of Duty'. Details: Slough: National Foundation for Educational Research, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2017 at; https://www.lgfl.net/downloads/online-safety/LGfL-OS-2015-E-Safety-Survey-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.lgfl.net/downloads/online-safety/LGfL-OS-2015-E-Safety-Survey-Final-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 145162 Keywords: Child ProtectionComputer CrimeInternet CrimeOnline SafetyOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee Title: Hate Crime: Abuse, hate and extremism online Summary: Hate crime 1. Hate crime is defined as any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a personal characteristic. Hate crime can be motivated by disability, gender identity, race, religion or faith and sexual orientation. The inquiry 2. We announced this inquiry into hate crime and its violent consequences in early July 2016. Our decision to undertake the inquiry followed the murder of Jo Cox MP in June in the lead-up to the EU referendum. There was also evidence of an increase in the number of attacks on people from ethnic minorities and of non-British nationality, including on their community centres and places of worship, immediately following the referendum. In addition, our inquiry into antisemitism was already under way, which was raising serious questions about how to address wider issues around the actions of those holding extremist or fixated views. It therefore seemed particularly timely and necessary to launch this inquiry. 3. We have received a large volume of written evidence. We have taken oral evidence on a wide range of issues including Islamophobia, misogyny, far-right extremism, the role of social media in hate crime and the particular issues faced by Members of Parliament in relation to hate crime and its violent manifestations. Our witnesses have included academics, community organisations, social media companies, police forces and their representative organisations, the principal Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, and Ministers. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to the inquiry. 4. The announcement by the Prime Minister on 18 April that she would seek a General Election on 8 June means that we have not had time to consider our conclusions on the wide range of issues raised during the inquiry. We hope that the Home Affairs Select Committee in the next Parliament is able to consider this evidence further and propose wider recommendations on tackling hate crime and some of the central issues that emerged in our hearings, including far-right extremism and islamophobia. We are publishing this short report in the meantime to address one aspect of our inquiry - the role of social media companies in addressing hate crime and illegal content online - on which we have taken considerable evidence and where we want our conclusions to inform the early decisions of the next Government, as well as the immediate work of social media companies. 5. We also wished to record our deep sadness about the tragic death of Jo Cox MP and we hope that in the next Parliament the Home Affairs Committee will also look further at the risks from hate, abuse and extremism in public life. Details: London: House of Commons, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Fourteenth Report of Session 2016-17: Accessed May 16, 2017 at: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmhaff/609/609.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmhaff/609/609.pdf Shelf Number: 145484 Keywords: ExtremismExtremist GroupsFar-Right ExtremismHate CrimesIslamophobiaOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Krone, Tony Title: Online Child Sexual Exploitation Offenders: A Study of Australian Law Enforcement Data Summary: Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society and need our nurture, care and protection, yet too many children around the world experience some form of child abuse. The exploitation of children for sexual purposes, in which children are used as commodities for the sexual pleasure of adults, is particularly heinous. Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a global problem that demands strong and effective responses. The full extent and nature of the problem, both historically and currently, is only now beginning to be recognised. The reality of child sexual exploitation within families, in institutions and elsewhere must be confronted. Evidence tells us that intrafamilial sexual exploitation of children has been, and remains, a major problem. The reality - of exploitation by offenders who are known to their child victims - runs counter to the perceived danger presented by strangers. The focus on the danger presented by strangers appears to have been part of a collective denial of the reality of exploitation committed by those entrusted with the care of children. A key concern for those working to address this problem is to determine how the viewing of child exploitation material (CEM) is linked to involvement in the production and sharing of such material, or its use in the grooming of children for sexual purposes or the commission of further sexual assaults on children. Most CEM is held online; it is therefore important to understand how offenders inhabit and use the internet to groom children for sexual purposes. This exploratory study examines data related to a sample of offenders convicted of online child sexual exploitation offences under Australian Commonwealth law, to determine the relationship between offline or contact offences and online CSE offending. In this sample, most CEM offenders appeared to commit only online offences, although there did appear to be a connection between CEM, grooming and contact offending in a minority of cases. This study is an important early step in improving our understanding of Commonwealth online CSE offenders. It points to the need to further assess the nature of online CSE and its relationship to other forms of sexual and violent offences. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research advisory Council, 2017. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/58-1213-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/58-1213-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 145903 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual ExploitationComputer Crimes Internet Crimes Online GroomingOnline VictimizationSex Offenders |
Author: Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center (U.K.) Title: A Picture of Abuse: A thematic assessment of the risk of contact child sexual abuse posed by those who possess indecent images of children Summary: 1. This thematic assessment explores the risk of contact child sexual offending posed by those who possess still an' moving indecent images of children ('IIOC'). It looks at the ways in which this risk is managed by the police service and others involved in child protection and the criminal justice process. 2. In 1996 less than 100 million users worldwide had access to the internet compared to 1.5 billion people in 2010. The volume of IIOC in circulation on the internet has also increased dramatically. In 1990, Home Office estimates of the number of individual, hard-copy, IIOC in circulation stood at approximately 7,000. As an example of this increase, in 1995 Greater Manchester Police (GMP) seized 12 IIOC, all on video or paper. In 1999 this figure had risen to 41,000, with all bar three images then held in electronic form. Today, the number of unique IIOC in circulation on the internet runs into millions, with police forces reporting seizures of up to 2.5 million images in single collections alone . The number of individual children depicted in these images is likely to be in the tens of thousands. 3. Trend analysis suggests that IIOC appear to be becoming more extreme, sadistic and violent. In a comparison of two Internet Watch Foundation reports from 2008 and 2010, images depicting penetrative abuse had risen by 7.6%, with a greater proportion depicting the abuse of younger children. It is difficult to assess how many people are in possession of IIOC as it is a crime largely hidden from view. Work is ongoing within CEOP to assess the extent of this offending. 4. In partnership with the internet industry, law enforcement organisations are becoming increasingly successful at identifying those who possess the growing volume of IIOC in circulation online. This is undoubtedly a very positive development; however with finite policing resources it has led to a greater need for effective prioritisation by police forces in order to manage the risk that these offenders present to children offline. 5. This thematic assessment was undertaken with five principal objectives: - To summarise current academic thinking and operational experience on the risk of contact sexual abuse posed to children by those who possess IIOC. - To identify and outline the challenges faced by UK stakeholders in dealing with IIOC possession offending and the safeguarding of victims. - To identify and outline options for risk-based prioritising of IIOC possession offending to help ensure that those who present the highest risk of contact sexual abuse are prioritised for intervention. - To identify and outline technological solutions/tools that enable IIOC possession investigations to be conducted as efficiently as possible, and support the safeguarding of victims. - To recommend technological, investigative and risk assessment solutions which can be deployed to assist in the prioritisation and execution of IIOC possession enquiries, and support the safeguarding of victims. - This Executive Summary outlines the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the full assessment, which is available as a restricted document to those within the law enforcement community. The full assessment is protectively marked in order to protect law enforcement methodology. Details: London: CEOP, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2017 at: https://www.ceop.police.uk/Documents/ceopdocs/CEOP%20IIOCTA%20Executive%20Summary.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.ceop.police.uk/Documents/ceopdocs/CEOP%20IIOCTA%20Executive%20Summary.pdf Shelf Number: 145982 Keywords: Child Pornography Child Protection Child Sexual Abuse Internet Crime Online Victimization |
Author: Europol - European Police Office Title: Online sexual coercion and extortion as a form of crime affecting children. Law enforcement perspective Summary: Offenders may try and approach you online to get sexual photos or videos of you. To achieve this, they will try to make you feel special by pretending to be your friend. They might say nice things to you to gain your trust. They may also lure you into sexualised conversation and performing sexual acts online. Once they get hold of your sexual photos or videos, they may demand you send more, or ask you for money, threatening to post the images on the internet or share them with your friends and family if you don't do as they say. They can be very clever at making you feel guilty about what has happened to stop you from getting help. Although this behaviour can also exist in a peers' environment, this advice focuses on criminal activities conducted by adults. This person is not someone you should trust. This is an offender and should be prosecuted. Many victims don't seek help or report it to the police as they are embarrassed about the material the perpetrator has, or because they are unaware that they are victims of crime. Details: The Hague: EUROPOL, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2017 at: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/online-sexual-coercion-and-extortion-form-of-crime-affecting-children-law-enforcement-perspective Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: https://www.europol.europa.eu/publications-documents/online-sexual-coercion-and-extortion-form-of-crime-affecting-children-law-enforcement-perspective Shelf Number: 146523 Keywords: Child Sexual ExploitationComputer CrimesOnline VictimizationSexual Exploitation |
Author: Great Britain. National Audit Office Title: Online Fraud Summary: Growth in the use of the internet and advances in digital technologies mean that citizens and businesses can now do more online. For the UK, this means there are opportunities for greater innovation and economic growth, but also more opportunities for online crime. While traditional crimes such as vehicle offences and house burglary have declined substantially in recent years, fraud, more than half of which is committed online, is becoming more common and is a growing threat. Online criminals can target thousands of victims at the same time from anywhere in the world and so are hard to trace and prosecute. Online fraud can harm citizens financially and emotionally and harm businesses' finances and reputations. The true cost of online fraud is unknown, but is likely to be billions of pounds. One estimate was that individuals lost around L10 billion and the private sector around L144 billion to fraud in 2016. In the year ending 30 September 2016, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that there were 1.9 million estimated incidents of cyber-related fraud in England and Wales, or 16% of all estimated crime incidents. Online fraud includes criminals accessing citizens' and businesses' bank accounts, using their plastic card details, or tricking them into transferring money. The Home Office (the Department) is responsible for preventing and reducing crime, including online fraud. Many other bodies also play a role including the police, banks, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which records fraud offences and shares information with police forces, and Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud. In 2016, the Department set up the Joint Fraud Taskforce to improve collaboration between government, industry and law enforcement in tackling online fraud. In the same year, the government published its National Cyber Security Strategy to 2021, which includes the government's plans for tackling cyber crime, including cyber-enabled fraud and data theft. Scope of this report This report focuses on the Department, which is responsible for preventing and reducing online fraud. We have examined how the Department works with other bodies to tackle the crime. We have not evaluated whether the Department is achieving value for money in tackling online fraud as the true scale of online fraud and the overall cost to the government is not known. In this report we sometimes refer just to fraud as often the government and other bodies, as well as data sources, do not distinguish between online and offline fraud. We have examined: - the nature and scale of the current threat (Part One); - how the Department and others have responded to the threat (Part Two); and - the challenges and opportunities the Department and others face in reducing and preventing online fraud (Part Three). The report does not cover fiscal fraud, such as benefit fraud, committed against the government. This was covered in a National Audit Office report in 2016. In addition, this report does not cover the major international cyber attack which occurred in May 2017 when we were finalising this report. The incident affected the NHS and other organisations in the UK and shows the serious risk and challenges that cyber crime presents to the UK government as well as citizens and businesses. Details: London: NAO, 2017. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Online-Fraud.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Online-Fraud.pdf Shelf Number: 146594 Keywords: Computer CrimesCybercrimeFraudInternet CrimesOnline FraudOnline Victimization |
Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Classification of child exploitation material for sentencing purposes: final report Summary: The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D'Ath asked the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council (the council) to review the classification of child exploitation material (CEM) for sentencing purposes and determine whether any improvements can be made. The review comprised significant consultation across Queensland's criminal justice system involved with detecting, prosecuting and sentencing CEM offences. In addition, the council consulted with key agencies from Queensland's legal community and victim advocates, as well as community members, content experts and relevant agencies in other Australian and international jurisdictions. This broad consultation revealed Queensland is well respected for its professionalism in CEM investigation at national and international levels. Consequently, the council was determined to ensure any system used for classification of CEM in Queensland supports and builds on this reputation. Administrative data collected by criminal justice agencies was analysed to gain an appreciation of the Queensland context of CEM offending and offenders. This report provides the outcomes of this analysis. The report is structured in six chapters, initially introducing the current approach to classifying CEM in Queensland, outlining what is known about CEM offending and CEM offenders, and comparing Queensland's approach to other jurisdictions. The review culminates by proposing a new approach for classifying CEM for sentencing purposes, referred to as the Q-CEM Package. Mechanisms designed to support and evaluate the Q-CEM Package, and Queensland's readiness to continue to meet the many challenges associated with this evolving crime type, are also proposed. Key findings CEM is not a victimless crime. These offences harm real children and the repeated circulation of CEM depicting this abuse continues their victimisation. Victims of CEM report lifelong impacts as a result of the abuse and re-victimisation via sharing of the material. It is difficult to permanently or fully remove images from circulation. Delays are associated with CEM cases. The council's research confirmed anecdotal evidence that delays were associated with the criminal justice response to CEM. The delays are most prevalent between charging an offender and proceeding to a committal hearing. During this period, police undertake typically complex forensic processes and classify detected CEM. CEM is an international crime with a local footprint. CEM is a technology-enabled crime and, as such, will continue to evolve and expand in line with the exponential growth and global interconnectivity of technology. Queensland child victims and Queensland offenders require a suitable response from state and Commonwealth criminal justice agencies. National and international cooperation is essential. All Australian state and territory jurisdictions are seeking a platform to support cooperation at national and international levels. A common platform promotes harmonised classification language to respond to the international dimension of these crimes. Common platforms are designed to address time and welfare burdens on criminal justice agencies by sharing data about CEM encountered in other jurisdictions. They enhance victim identification efforts by enabling a stronger focus on new material. Data analysis, research and a commitment to practice evaluation are important. Identifying how this crime type is shifting remains a critical issue for Queensland. Keeping pace will build on the state's reputation for innovation, and reflects the commitment this state has to protecting Queensland children and families. Queensland needs a system that balances the requirements of all criminal justice agencies. Classification for sentencing must balance the demands on law enforcement to identify victims and offenders with the mechanisms required to prosecute and sentence offenders. The QCEM Package is specifically designed to address these critical functions of a system responsible for removing children from harm and bringing offenders to account. Queensland needs to adopt an enhanced approach to sexting and promoting prevention of CEM offending. Establishing mechanisms to provide support to families, schools and other organisations that can raise awareness among young people about how to remain safe online is essential. There is also a role to encourage offenders and potential offenders into treatment for their sexual interest in children. Details: Brisbane: The Council, 2017. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/531503/cem-final-report-july-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: http://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/531503/cem-final-report-july-2017.pdf Shelf Number: 146623 Keywords: Child PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseOnline VictimizationSentencingSex Offenders |
Author: Chalmers, James Title: A Comparative Analysis of Hate Crime Legislation: A Report to the Hate Crime Legislation Review Summary: In January 2017, the Scottish Government announced a review of hate crime legislation, chaired by Lord Bracadale. Lord Bracadale requested that, to assist the Review it its task, we produce a comparative report detailing principles underpinning hate crime legislation and approaches taken to hate crime in a range of jurisdictions. Work on this report commenced in late March 2017 and the final report was submitted to the Review in July 2017. Chapter 1 (What is Hate Crime?) explores what is meant by the term "hate crime", noting that different definitions may properly be used for different purposes. It notes that the legislative response to hate crime can be characterised by the definition offered by Chakraborti and Garland: the creation of offences, or sentencing provisions, "which adhere to the principle that crimes motivated by hatred or prejudice towards particular features of the victim's identity should be treated differently from 'ordinary' crimes". Chapter 2 (Hate Crime Legislation in Scotland) outlines the principal provisions of hate crime legislation, as identified in the Review's remit. These can be divided into two categories. First, sentence aggravation provisions, which do not create distinct criminal offences, but allow for offences aggravated by prejudice to be recorded as such and require the aggravation to be taken into account in sentencing. Secondly, substantive offences, which primarily consist of offences relating to the stirring up of racial hatred but also include offences of racially aggravated harassment and threatening communications intended to stir up hatred on religious grounds. Chapter 3 (Justifications for Punishing Hate Crime More Severely) considers the various possible justifications for treating hate crimes as more serious than parallel non-hate crimes. The possible justifications can be divided into three broad categories: harm-based justifications; culpability-based justifications; and denunciation-based justifications. Assessing the available evidence, it concludes that the argument that hate crimes are - compared to parallel non-hate crimes - more likely to cause harm both to the direct victim and to members of the group to which the victim belonged or was perceived to belong is particularly compelling. The argument that it is important to send a message to victims of hate crime that bias and inequality of treatment is roundly condemned by the State is also persuasive. Collectively, the harm argument and the denunciatory argument (and perhaps to a lesser extent the culpability argument) provide a compelling justification for punishing hate crime more severely Chapter 4 (Models of Hate Crime Legislation) considers two questions: first, how should hate crime be identified; and secondly, how should it be addressed - through substantive and distinct offences or the penalty attaching to general offences? In relation to the first question, it outlines two specific legislative models. The first is the discriminatory selection model (where a hate crime is committed where the victim has been selected because of their membership of a protected group). The second is the animus model (where the offender is motivated by, or demonstrates, prejudice against a protected group). It notes a clear preference for the animus model in legislative practice and strong arguments of principle in support. In relation to the second question, the chapter outlines three broad models: (i) the penalty enhancement model, (ii) the sentence aggravation model, and (iii) the substantive offence model, noting that jurisdictions may choose to combine these models rather than choosing one alone. It concludes by outlining the thresholds specified for a crime to count as a hate crime in a range of jurisdictions, and examines various questions about the precise formulation of these thresholds. Chapter 5 (Choice of Protected Characteristics) notes that the characteristics presently protected (in one form or another) under hate crime law in Scotland are race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and transgender identity. The chapter considers the range of characteristics protected in a range of other jurisdictions, noting that the characteristics protected in Scots law are the characteristics that are most commonly protected in the other jurisdictions analysed and that the two characteristics that are not presently protected in Scots law, but are most commonly protected in other jurisdictions, are age and sex . The chapter goes on to examine the principles which should guide a decision as to which characteristics should be protected. It notes a range of possibilities which have been identified in this respect, concluding that the most persuasive accounts are those that focus on identify groups that experience unjustified marginalisation or possess forms of difference that have a justifiable claim to respect. Chapter 6 (Hate Speech and Online Hate Crime) acknowledges that significant recent work has been carried out in relation to hate speech by the Law Commission and provides a high-level overview of the legal issues related to hate speech in a comparative perspective, including the applicability of legislation to online hate speech. It considers two questions of principle - what is hate speech, and what is the harm of hate speech? - before detailing offences relating to hate speech in a range of jurisdictions, considering both the legislative models adopted and the range of groups protected. It then outlines certain issues which arise in relation to hate speech online. Chapter 7 (Hate Crime Legislation in Selected Jurisdictions) details the legislative provisions relating to hate crime in a range of jurisdictions. The jurisdictions assessed are as follows: Australia (the six states and two territories are examined separately); Canada; England and Wales; New Zealand; Northern Ireland; Republic of Ireland; South Africa and ten jurisdictions in the United States of America (the jurisdictions selected for analysis being those which expressly protect characteristics which are not explicitly protected in any of the hate crime legislative provisions discussed elsewhere in the chapter). Chapter 8 (Approaches Taken in Other Jurisdictions Relevant to the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012) examines section 1 of the 2012 Act, which is distinct because it applies only to behaviour that takes place in relation to a regulated football match. The chapter outlines the background to the Act, sets out the offences contained in section 1 and details analogous legislation in other jurisdictions including England and Wales and Northern Ireland. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government, 2017. 149p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2017 at: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/hate-crime/independent-review-of-hate-crime-legislation/supporting_documents/495517_APPENDIX%20%20ACADEMIC%20REPORT.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/hate-crime/independent-review-of-hate-crime-legislation/supporting_documents/495517_APPENDIX%20%20ACADEMIC%20REPORT.pdf Shelf Number: 147537 Keywords: Bias-Motivated CrimeHate CrimeHate Crime LegislationHate SpeechOnline VictimizationPrejudice |
Author: Hamilton-Giachritsis, Catherine Title: Everyone deserves to be happy and safe: A mixed methods study exploring how online and offline child sexual abuse impact young people and how professionals respond to it Summary: This study sought to develop an understanding of: - How young people who have experienced online or offline sexual abuse are impacted by it - with a focus on their voices and perspectives - Any specific effects of technology-assisted sexual abuse and related support needs - Professional responses to young people affected by sexual abuse and professional perceptions of technology-assisted abuse and its impact - Young people's views on how prevention and intervention around sexual abuse, particularly technology-assisted, could be improved This mixed methods exploratory study (for methods and participant numbers see Table 1) was approved by three ethics committees (the NSPCC, University of Birmingham, University of Bath). Carrying out this research required careful balancing of young people's rights of 'protection' and 'participation'. While the research represents an important step in identifying the impact of and responses to child sexual abuse in the UK today, especially that which is technology-assisted, its limitations must be borne in mind. In addition to the small samples sizes and the cross-sectional nature of the sample, it is important to keep in mind the potential biases related to the sample recruitment. The young people interviewed and who answered the questionnaires were recruited from NSPCC services, Childline and the National Crime Agency. Key findings - Online abuse is sometimes perceived as having less impact and being of less immediate concern than offline abuse by professionals. - TA-CSA abuse is no less impactful than offline-only sexual abuse. - Technology provides additional routes both to access young people to abuse, and to manipulate and silence them. - With TA-CSA, there are additional elements for young people to contend with, related to control, permanence, blackmail, revictimisation and self-blame. - Some professionals noted that victims are more often 'blamed', seen as participating in the abuse or do not see it as abuse when it is online. Details: London: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 2017. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2017 at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/impact-online-offline-child-sexual-abuse.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/impact-online-offline-child-sexual-abuse.pdf Shelf Number: 148750 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseComputer CrimesOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: London Assembly. Police and Crime Committee Title: Tightening the net: The Metropolitan Police Service's response to online theft and fraud Summary: The internet is changing the nature of crime -- The internet has revolutionised the way that we live our lives. But it has also changed the way that criminals operate: increasingly, there is a cyberdimension to almost all types of crime. Our investigation focused on how the internet has enabled criminals to commit acquisitive crimes - those that involve taking goods or money from a victim - in different ways. We found that, while crimes such as burglary are falling, a whole new collection of online crimes have emerged. One crime in particular has been transformed by the internet: fraud. Around 70 per cent of frauds are now "cyber-enabled" and the internet provides an opportunity for fraudsters to expand their activities on a huge scale. Unlike in the past, fraudsters can target large numbers of victims, often at next to no cost. The types of online scams are wide-ranging. Cyber-criminals tailor frauds to the individual; as one expert told us, we are all at risk. We do not know enough about the perpetrators of online crime. What is clear is that cyber-criminals do not fit into a typical mould. Organised crime groups are responsible for an element of online crime in London. But - in addition to these groups - many local, known criminals have expanded their day-to-day criminal activities into London's cyberspace. Computer literacy is no barrier to becoming a cyber-criminal - in fact, you need no more skill than to be able to log on. This, combined with a lower personal risk of being caught, makes online crime appealing to another, perhaps less expected, group of perpetrators: those new to crime. Committing crime using the internet offers anonymity - many would not commit a similar crime if it involved face-to-face contact with the victim. Like the perpetrators of online crime, its victims no longer fit into a typical group or category. Our research found that victims came from different ethnic groups, social grades and areas of London. We also found that becoming a victim of an online crime can be just as distressing as if it were a traditional crime, even when there has been no financial loss. Even the mere thought that someone had impersonated or tricked them can cause a great deal of stress for the victim. A greater understanding and sensitivity to victims' experiences will be an essential part of the police's response to online crime. We do not know the extent of online theft and fraud Crime statistics should help us to measure the extent - and the trend - of online crime. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses two headline measures for trends in total crime over time: police-recorded crime and the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Both sets of data tell a similar story crime in England and Wales has fallen sharply in the last decade. But both measures contain flaws, not least that they are failing to capture a range of crimes committed using the internet. Many online crimes will not appear in police-recorded statistics because often victims choose not to report crimes to the police in the first place. This may be because victims feel embarrassed at being tricked by a fraudster or that there is little the police can do to catch the perpetrator. Due to the hidden nature of many online frauds, often victims cannot report the offence immediately because they are unaware that it has been committed against them in the first place. The Crime Survey for England and Wales is not capturing trends in online crime either. It has failed to keep up as the public's experience of victimisation has evolved: the survey does not currently ask respondents about a range of crimes committed using the internet and excludes many crimes, such as fraud, from its headline results. The effect of this omission on the overall level of crime that the survey measures is significant. In light of the current limitations with both police-recorded crime and the Crime Survey, we commissioned our own victimisation survey to better understand the extent of online crime in London. Our findings paint an alarming picture of the balance between old and new crimes. Among the 1,004 Londoners we surveyed, we found that a higher proportion had been a victim of an online crime than of a more traditional form of property crime. Perceptions differ too: higher proportions of respondents felt online crimes have increased in recent years relative to traditional crimes. And respondents were also more worried about online crimes than they were traditional crimes. The police should reflect on our results as it develops its approach to online crime. The police service has been slow to respond to the emergence of online crime The police are behind the curve when it comes to tackling online crime. The research base for policing the cyber-threat is not as well developed as in other areas of policing and, in some cases, there is a lack of appetite among police forces and officers to tackle offences such as cyber-fraud, often not seen as exciting crimes to investigate. In order to improve the police service's response, the Government changed the system for reporting fraud. Action Fraud - the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and internet crime - has had a number of successes, such as improving the level of crime reporting and the ways in which positive outcomes are sought for victims. But, while the new system represents an improvement on that which preceded it, one problem stands out: there is still a need to raise awareness among the public - and even among parts of the police - about Action Fraud. To increase reporting of crime in London, the Mayor, MOPAC and the Met should all work with the City of London Police to help to raise awareness about online crime and the role of Action Fraud. Better co-operation between the police and other organisations is needed as well. The police service has claimed that banks and others do not routinely report offences because they do not wish to reveal how vulnerable they are. Some have argued that these and other organisations should be encouraged or even compelled to share fraud data with law enforcement agencies. MOPAC and the Met have started to take the problem seriously The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) recognises that online crime is a significant problem in London. So far, MOPAC's approach has focused mainly on online crimes against businesses. This is important: some small businesses are particularly vulnerable. But MOPAC must not let the Met lose focus on individual victims of online crime. And, to help the Met to avoid viewing cyber-crime in isolation, all MOPAC's future strategies should directly address pertinent internet risks, something missing in its recently published Hate Crime Reduction Strategy for London. Like MOPAC, the Met is also aware of the difficulty in tackling online crime. It has created a new Fraud and Linked Crime Online (FALCON) command, with substantially increased resources, to reduce the harm caused by fraud and cyber-criminals in London. Given the potential scale of online crime, FALCON must make choices to meet this objective and secure the best value for money from its resources. Since many online crimes do not align with policing, national or international boundaries, enforcing the law can be difficult. As the FALCON command matures, it needs to develop its methods for disrupting criminals and preventing crimes from happening in the first place. It must also build a workforce with the right balance between police officers and civilian staff: piling in loads of uniformed officers is not the way to deal with online fraud. One of the reasons that many victims of online crime do not report the offence to the police is that they do not think the police will do anything about it. In order to show that they are taking online crime seriously, MOPAC and the Met need to demonstrate that they are making a difference. Measuring the level of online victimisation through prevalence surveys is perhaps the most effective way of doing that. We ask that MOPAC collects data in its future surveys and publishes the results on a regular basis. The Met faces challenges in the future The Met's decision to establish a new command to tackle fraud and online crime clearly demonstrates that it is taking these threats seriously. But this approach is not without risks. We are concerned that the FALCON command might become siloed from the rest of the Met. Given that that there is increasingly a cyber-dimension to almost all crimes, the Met needs to ensure that all of its officers and staff are as comfortable policing London's cyberspace as they are London's streets; it must not be left to specialists alone. Both inside and outside of the FALCON command, the Met needs to determine what skills and training its workforce needs to tackle the challenge of online crime. Aside from formal training, we heard that the Xbox and PlayStation generation of police officers are already well prepared to fight online crime. The Met should tap into this resource which is already among its ranks. Details: London: The Assembly, 2015. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2018 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Tightening%20the%20net_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Tightening%20the%20net_0.pdf Shelf Number: 149034 Keywords: Acquisitive CrimesComputer CrimeCybercrimeFraudInternet CrimeOnline VictimizationProperty CrimeTheft |
Author: European Commission. Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs Title: Europeans' attitudes towards cyber security Summary: The special Eurobarometer 464a on the attitudes of Europeans towards cyber security was published on 13 September. The survey reflects consistent rates of increase in online activity, with ever more respondents in the EU using the internet for their daily activities. At the same time, there are increasing concerns about security aspects and also higher incidents of cybercrimes compared to previous surveys. The results of the survey show that a large majority (87%) of European Union citizens regard cybercrime as an important challenge to the internal security of the EU: 56% think that cybercrime is a very important challenge and 31% see it as fairly important (based on more than 28 000 face-to-face interviews). In 2015, 80% (42% and 38%, respectively) were of the same opinion. Nearly half of respondents (49%) think enough is being done by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in their respective countries to combat cybercrime, although only 13% agree completely and a significant proportion (14%) say they do not know. For comparison, the following percentages think that LEAs do enough to fight: terrorism 63%, drug trafficking 53%, and corruption 43%. The two most common concerns when using the Internet for online banking or purchases are about the misuse of personal data (45%) and the security of online payments (42%). This is a steady increase from 2013 (37% and 35%) via 2015 (43% and 42%, respectively). However, nearly a fifth (19%) have no concerns about the security of Internet transactions - which is nearly the same as in 2015 (18%), but less than in 2013 (23%). In total, 62% changed any of their passwords in the year preceding the 2017 survey (with 61% reporting this in 2015 and only 48% in 2013). While this is a positive trend (which can be attributed to rising awareness), it is in contrast to the number of respondents who have changed their e-mail passwords in the 12 months preceding the surveys: 31% in 2013, 45% in 2015, and 41% in 2017. 46% of respondents feel very well or fairly well informed about the risks of cybercrime (44% in 2013 and 47% in 2015), against 51% feeling not well or not at all informed (2013: 52%, 2015: 50%). There is a big difference between Member States: In Denmark, only 22% feel not well or not at all informed, compared to 70% in Bulgaria. The two most common situations experienced by respondents remain discovering malicious software on their device (42%) and receiving an email or phone call fraudulently asking for access to their computer, logins or personal details ('phishing', 38%). 8% of respondents were asked to pay in return for getting back control of their device, and the same percentage had their identity stolen. There is no general trend to suggest that experiences of cybercrime overall are growing, but there are increases in victimisation rates notably for phishing (38% of respondents experienced this in 2017 compared to 32% in 2013), online fraud (16% versus 10%), and online banking fraud (11% in 2017, 7% in 2013), as well as in encountering racial hatred online (2017: 18%, 2013: 14%), or hacking of social media profiles (14% versus 12%). The two most common situations experienced by respondents remain discovering malicious software on their device (42%) and receiving an email or phone call fraudulently asking for access to their computer, logins or personal details ('phishing', 38%). If they experienced or were the victim of cybercrime, most respondents say they would contact the police, especially if the crime was identity theft (85%), online banking fraud (76%), or if they accidentally encountered child pornography online (76%). This Eurobarometer survey was carried out in the 28 Member States of the European Union between 13 and 26 June 2017. Some 28 093 EU citizens from different social and demographic categories were interviewed at home and in their native language. Details: Brussels: The Commission, 2017. 176p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2018 at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/europeans%E2%80%99-attitudes-towards-cyber-security_en Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/europeans%E2%80%99-attitudes-towards-cyber-security_en Shelf Number: 149158 Keywords: Cyber Security Cybercrime Internet Crimes Online VictimizationPhishing Public Attitudes Public Opinion |
Author: Wager, Nadia Title: Rapid Evidence Assessment Quantifying The Extent Of Online-Facilitated Child Sexual Abuse Summary: This rapid evidence assessment (REA) examines what is known about the scale of online-facilitated child sexual abuse (CSA). It was commissioned by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), which is investigating whether public bodies and other non-state institutions have taken seriously their duties to care for and protect children and young people from child sexual abuse and exploitation. This research informs IICSA's investigation into institutional responses to child sexual abuse and exploitation facilitated by the internet (referred to as the internet investigation). The specific objectives were: to identify and appraise the measures currently available in England and Wales, and internationally, that could contribute to quantifying the scale of online CSA to consider what each of these measures say about the scale of online CSA to identify and appraise the range of data sources that are available for quantifying the scale of online CSA to identify gaps in the existing literature. 3 A rapid evidence assessment is a structured way of searching for, assessing the appropriateness of, and synthesising a large body of evidence in a very short time frame. It is less rigorous than a full systematic review and therefore does not provide a fully comprehensive summary of the evidence base. This should be borne in mind when considering the findings. Additional challenges taken into account during the review of the 99 articles and reports covered were dealing with the breadth of definitions used, and the constant changes in technology. Details: Huddersfield, UK: University of Huddersfield, Secure Societies Institute, 2018. 184p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2018 at: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/document/rapid-evidence-assessment-quantifying-extent-online-facilitated-child-sexual-abuse Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/document/rapid-evidence-assessment-quantifying-extent-online-facilitated-child-sexual-abuse Shelf Number: 149281 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Protection Child Sexual Abuse Child Sexual Exploitation Internet Crimes Online Victimization Social Media |
Author: Davidson, Julia Title: Enhancing Police and Industry Practice: EU Child Online Safety Project Summary: This report draws together the findings from the European Child Online Safety Project which was funded by the European Commission ISEC fund. The project was led by Professor Julia Davidson Middlesex University, UK with partners from University of Tilburg, Netherlands; University of Kore, Enna, Italy; Cyberpsychology Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons; and the Geary Institute, University College Dublin, Ireland; and FDE Institute of Criminology, Mantova, Italy. The project sought to draw together the evidence base on online offender and victim behaviour including: - online grooming; - possession, collection and distribution of indecent child images; - Identification of policing and industry best practice in prevention. The project also sought to promote cooperation between law enforcement and industry in developing and disseminating good practice models in the area of online CSA. Through collaboration, this will ultimately assist practitioners and professionals: - To develop effective prevention techniques; - In early detection and deterrence; - With the provision of valid and recent research. The project had three primary and interdependent objectives: 1. Link project specific risk characteristics with other risk factors for grooming, like risk-taking and sexual orientation concerns; 2. Creation of victim typologies of cyber-grooming to assist with identification of vulnerable individuals and groups; 3. Development of 'Best Practice' guidelines for industry and law enforcement in the identification and prevention of online childhood sexual abuse. Details: 168p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2018 at: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/250163/ISEC-report-FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: https://www.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/250163/ISEC-report-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 149405 Keywords: Child GroomingChild PornographyChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Interpol Title: Towards a Global Indicator on Unidentified Victims in Child Sexual Exploitation Material: Technical Report Summary: This report presents the results of a two-part analysis of the multi-country data set contained in the International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) Database housed at INTERPOL and of consultations with law enforcement personnel in relation to the identification of victims and offenders pictured in Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM) seized by law enforcement around the world. It forms one component of a larger programme of the ICSE Database enhancement activities financed by the European Union and carried out between 2016 and 2018 under the title International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database Connectivity and Awareness Raising Enhancements (I-CARE) Project. A ground-breaking cooperation between INTERPOL and ECPAT International, the study is broader in country coverage and possibly in other dimensions than any other previously analysed and publicly reported on. It responds to widespread recognition of the scarcity of reliable data and research on CSAM and CSEM to inform evidence-based policy and programmes to tackle the issue and protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse across the world. It highlights the urgent need to develop representative international baselines of empirical data on the victimisation of children depicted in CSAM and CSEM, and to enhance the response by law enforcement agencies around the world to this problem. The analysis has been subject to a number of legal, institutional and ethical conditions, which have been duly and carefully considered, and which have been addressed in the exercise. Taken together, a comprehensive perspective on the overall database contents, and a mix of quantitative and qualitative findings from a selected sample of observations, has produced a broad range of findings, whose statistical validity has been confirmed by an expert reviewer. The study provides insight based on visual analysis of images and videos into the profile of unidentified child victims and their abusers, including age, gender, and type and severity of abuse, and further presents the results of analysis of case-related metadata for cases recorded as both identified and unidentified in the ICSE Database. It highlights the multi-faceted challenges presented to the law enforcement and child protection community by rapid evolutions in the means available for online child exploitation and abuse as a distinct subset of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and the increasingly complex role played by youth-produced sexual content in this landscape. Through analysis of confirmed and suspected locations of abuse as recorded in the ICSE Database, the study also considers the relationship between resource allocation for victim identification and rates of identification worldwide. The study acknowledges that there are qualitative limitations inherent in the multi-country and multi-user data set of the ICSE Database, but also highlights the unique nature of the data set resulting from this diverse user base. This in turn underlines the distinctive position and potential of the ICSE Database for further technological evolutions, country connections, and as a tool in victim identification efforts, and reinforces the usefulness the ICSE Database for further research and as focal point for future efforts to build a global indicator. Details: Bangkok: ECPAT, 2018. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2018 at: http://www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Technical-Report-TOWARDS-A-GLOBAL-INDICATOR-ON-UNIDENTIFIED-VICTIMS-IN-CHILD-SEXUAL-EXPLOITATION-MATERIAL.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: http://www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Technical-Report-TOWARDS-A-GLOBAL-INDICATOR-ON-UNIDENTIFIED-VICTIMS-IN-CHILD-SEXUAL-EXPLOITATION-MATERIAL.pdf Shelf Number: 149496 Keywords: Child PornographyChild ProstitutionChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationComputer CrimesInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSex Trafficking |
Author: ECPAT International Title: Regional Overview: The Sexual Exploitation of Children in Southeast Asia Summary: Southeast Asia has a booming economy and is undergoing impressive growth in a number of sectors. For example, the region has one of the world's fastest growing internet markets, currently with 260 million users and a projected 480 million users by 2020. Mobile connections account for 130% of the population. The continued growth of international arrivals in the region is largely due to increasing numbers of intra-regional and inter-regional tourists and travelers. According to data of the UNWTO, Thailand recorded the world's highest growth in international tourist receipts in 2016. Such developments should result in positive changes in the lives of children - and indeed, significant progress has been made on a number of child rights indicators in the region. Nevertheless there is a dark and disturbing downside to this growth. The proliferation of the internet and related communication technologies has significantly expanded opportunities for child sex offenders to plan their travel, to communicate anonymously with other child sex offenders, to access, produce and disseminate child sex abuse images, and to engage in online sexual encounters with children without them even having to leave their homes. As technology evolves, forms and modus operandi of exploitation also evolve. The rapid growth in travel and tourism increases the number of children vulnerable to sexual exploitation. In the pursuit of economic development, a number of Southeast Asian countries have allowed large-scale foreign investment in tourism and other sectors and the proliferation of Special Economic and Free Trade Zones. These positive economic developments often are accompanied by the building of casinos and entertainment venues including bars and brothels, which can be high-risk locales for children. This report highlights both the domestic and international dimension of the sexual exploitation of children. The vast majority of child sex offenders in Southeast Asia are nationals of the countries of the region, the victims primarily girls. Yet emerging evidence also suggests that a considerable numbers of boys are abused and that foreign child sex offenders are increasingly accessing children through voluntary or professional positions in schools, orphanages, and child care centres Details: Bangkok: ECPAT, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2018 at: http://www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Regional-Overview_Southeast-Asia.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Asia URL: http://www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Regional-Overview_Southeast-Asia.pdf Shelf Number: 149499 Keywords: Child PornographyChild ProstitutionChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationInternet CrimeOnline VictimizationSex TourismSex Trafficking |
Author: Smahel, David, ed. Title: The meaning of online problematic situations for children: Results of qualitative cross-cultural investigation in nine European countries Summary: Young people are currently surrounded by digital technologies, and through these technologies they experience a variety of positive, but also negative, situations (Livingstone, Haddon, Gorzig, & Olafsson, 2011). The unique pan-European survey of EU Kids Online II (2009-11) offered insights into how often and what types of harm children experienced in the following online risks: cyberbullying, exposure to sexual materials, sexting (sexual communication), meeting online strangers, personal data problems, seeing dangerous websites, and excessive internet use. EU Kids Online II also studied how children cope with some of these risks, and the effectiveness of parental mediation strategies to reduce these risks. Although there are several pieces of research studying specific online risks from qualitative perspectives (i.e., Parris, Varjas, Meyers, & Cutts, 2012; Sleglova & Cerna, 2011; Vandebosch & van Cleemput, 2008), most of the current research on online problematic experiences is quantitative, and aimed at understanding the prevalence, definitions and measurement, and the associated psycho-social consequences. But as we know, perceptions of risk differ for children and researchers (Cohn, Macfarlane, Yanez, & Imai, 1995). What researchers describe as "risky" is sometimes perceived as normal and not negative among young people. Therefore, this report introduces research from the EU Kids Online III (2011-14) studies on risks and online problematic situations from children's perspectives. We ask what children perceive as problematic on the internet, and the meaning of online problematic situations according to children. To fulfil this goal, we proposed qualitative investigations, where we took a children-centred approach and asked what children perceived as problematic on the internet. Using this approach, children spontaneously reported many different online situations, from the harmful and unpleasant to the neutral, as well as positive experiences. For example, meeting an online stranger in offline settings was typically a risk from the researcher's perspective, but from the children's perspectives, it was mostly seen as an online opportunity. Children's experiences with meeting strangers varied from very pleasant to harmful feelings. We therefore decided to avoid the term "risks," where children experienced a broad scale of different situations, and instead used the term "online problematic situations" to describe any unpleasant, bothering, or harmful situations on the internet. We proposed the following definition of problematic online situations: "encompassing a broad range of possible online behaviours and experiences that, together or individually, result in a disruption of relationships, values, daily obligations, and or mental or physical well-being" (Mitchell, Sabina, Finkelhor, & Wells, 2009, p. 707). Such a definition of online problematic situations is broader than the previously used term of "online risk," which is defined as the probability of harm (Livingstone et al., 2011). In this report, both terms are used in different contexts. Research presented in this report is based on focus groups and interviews with 368 children from the following nine countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK). Teams from the EU Kids Online network voluntarily joined this comparative research. Therefore, the selection of countries is not the selection of coordinators, but instead a group of voluntary, cooperating research teams with one coordinator (David Smahel). As explained in Chapter 3: Methodology, we involved children from many different social and cultural backgrounds, and recorded a large variability of different perspectives and meanings of online situations. Nevertheless, this report intentionally does not include a special section on cultural comparisons across countries, because producing a systematic analysis of cultural factors remains difficult in qualitative research with relatively small samples. Despite this consideration, across this report possible observations about country differences have been made, including ones that draw on a background knowledge of specific countries. The emphasis of this report was on pooling the data from the countries in order to describe the range of online problematic situations, and coping and awareness of them, along with various mediational strategies. We believe that this pooled sample has generated enough material to provide a relatively comprehensive picture of the meaning and experience of online problematic situations for children in Europe. Research questions To understand children's meanings of online problematic situations and risks, we proposed the following research questions, which we answer in the chapters that follow in this report: - What do children perceive as being potentially negative or problematic when using the internet? - What online problematic situations and risks are children aware of? - What are the consequences of online negative experiences? - How do/would they react to it (including emotional reaction, behavioural reaction, opinion change etc.)? - What do/would children do to avoid or prevent these online problematic experiences? - What is the context for children's perceptions of certain situations as negative? - In which circumstances are certain situations perceived as negative? In which circumstances are other situations perceived as neutral or even positive? - What coping strategies work best from children's perspectives? - How do children evaluate situations that adults consider problematic? - How are children's negative experiences mediated? Details: London: EU Kids Online, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2014. 171p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2018 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/56972/1/EU_Kids_Online_Report_Online_Problematic_Situations_for_Children_June2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/56972/1/EU_Kids_Online_Report_Online_Problematic_Situations_for_Children_June2014.pdf Shelf Number: 149543 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual AbuseOnline VictimizationProsecutionSex OffendersSextingSocial Media |
Author: Haddon, Leslie Title: The meaning of online problematic situations for children: The UK report Summary: The present report looks specifically at the experiences of the UK children who took part in that wider European project. Interviews and focus groups were used to collect children's data. The interview schedule for the research was tested in all participating countries. In the UK pilot interviews were conducted in January 2013 with primary and secondary school boys (aged 9-10 and 11-13 respectively). The European pilots indicated that the interview schedule was generally sound although some alterations were made to it in the light of the pilot feedback. In the UK the main interviews took place between March and September 2013 in four schools - two primary and two secondary. This consisted of interviews with two boys and two girls from each age group (9‐10, 11‐13, 14‐16), and one boys' and one girls' focus group from each of the three age bands, each group consisting of five people. There was one extra interview with a boy aged 9‐10. This made a total of 13 interviews and six focus groups - 43 children aged 9-16 years old altogether. The interviews, conducted by the authors, were fully transcribed and analysed for the present report. Since the UK research was part of a wider European project it followed the same procedures as in the other participating countries. Each point discussed in the interview was summarised in a comment box, and all the comments from the interview were imported into an Excel file. Here they received a secondary level of coding so that for each point made by a child it was clear whether and what ICTs were involved, whether and what risks were involved, who was being discussed, whether the theme was about activities, communication, mediation of some kind, etc. The coding meant that it was possible to search the Excel sheets by various criteria, whether looking into specific risks, preventative measures, coping strategies or parental mediation Parallel to this, main points for translation that related to previous project‐wide discussions of the whole area were marked and collated. In the other countries these observations by children were translated into English to make them accessible to all the other researchers when collectively writing the pan‐European report. In the UK, they were simply collated in the original English. When conducting the analysis, these points for translation often became the basis for the main quotations in this report, either because they summarised certain issues (more succinctly than some of the other children), captured ambivalences or demonstrated a theme well. The points for translation were used in conjunction with searches of the Excel sheet. The latter aimed to capture overall tendencies within the sample, the range of experiences and diverse examples of the same theme. When children are cited but not directly quoted, the material often comes from this second strand of analysis involving an overview of the interview material on any particular topic. The whole procedure had the effect that some children are quoted more, often reflecting the fact that they are either more articulate, more reflective or have more of certain kinds of experience. However, the overall content and conclusions of this report fully reflect the range and diversity of opinions and experiences expressed by all children interviewed in the project. Details: London: EU Kids Online, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2014. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 23, 2018 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/60514/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_repository_Content_EU%20Kids%20Online_EU%20Kids%20Online_Meaning%20of%20online%20problematic%20situations-UK%20report_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/60514/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_repository_Content_EU%20Kids%20Online_EU%20Kids%20Online_Meaning%20of%20online%20problematic%20situations-UK%20report_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 149545 Keywords: Child Pornography Child Sexual Abuse Online Victimization Prosecution Sex Offenders SextingSocial Media |
Author: DeMarco, Jeffrey Title: Behaviour and Characteristics of Perpetrators of Online-facilitated Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: A Rapid Evidence Assessment Summary: - The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse: The primary remit of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is to explore how public bodies and other non-state institutions in England and Wales have handled their duty of care in protecting children from sexual abuse. One of the investigations focuses on the institutional responses to child sexual abuse (CSA) and exploitation facilitated by the internet. This is referred to as the Internet Investigation. - ICT and CSA: Evidence suggests that all perpetrators of online-facilitated CSA have broadly been using information and communication technology (ICT) to commit child abuse since the late 1980s. - Research aims and objectives: IICSA commissioned this rapid evidence assessment as part of its investigation into the internet and CSA. Its aim was to answer the question: 'What is known about the behaviour and characteristics of people who sexually abuse or exploit children, where such abuse is facilitated by the internet?' Research aims and objectives - In responding to the primary research question listed above, the rapid evidence assessment considered how perpetrators use specific technologies to offend and how the availability of these technologies influences perpetrators' behaviour, how perpetrators identify and target potential victims across forums, and what the key safeguarding challenges are for institutions raised by changing technologies and associated perpetrator behaviour. - The rapid evidence assessment also sought to identify evidence regarding emerging types of offences, including self-generated material in sexual solicitation, exploitation and abuse of children, sexual extortion, and offences in which self-generated sexual material shared freely online by children is identified and circulated by perpetrators with an interest in child sexual exploitation material. - Lastly, the rapid evidence assessment also aimed to capture information pertaining to children who perpetrate online-facilitated sexual abuse against peers, relationships between different types of offending, and pathways into offending. - The rapid evidence assessment was conducted in four stages: pilot, evidence selecting, evidence screening and evidence synthesising. - The findings from the above points are presented to best synthesise the information in responding to each one while considering the primary research question. Details: London: NatCen Social Research, 2018. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2018 at: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/document/rapid-evidence-assessment-behaviour-and-characteristics-perpetrators-online-facilitated Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/document/rapid-evidence-assessment-behaviour-and-characteristics-perpetrators-online-facilitated Shelf Number: 149552 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationInternet CrimeOnline VictimizationSex OffendersSexting |
Author: Livingstone, Sonia Title: Net Children Go Mobile: The UK report Summary: This report presents new UK findings regarding children's online access, opportunities, risks and parental mediation. The primary focus is on risk and safety considerations. The new UK findings are compared in this report with: - Findings from the seven‐country European 2013‐14 survey by Net Children Go Mobile. - UK findings from the 25‐country European 2010 survey by EU Kids Online. - Illustrative quotations from children are drawn from qualitative interviews conducted by Net Children Go Mobile (which will report later in 2014). Access and use Mobile and personalised media are expanding the spatial and temporal locations of internet use among children by providing 'anywhere, anytime' accessibility: - Home is still the main location of internet use by far, despite it now being available in many locations out and about. Forty per cent of children use the internet at home several times per day, most of them in their bedroom. Over half also go online in other places, and half use it when out and about. - Compared with 2010, half as many now use a desktop PC, so that access is more often on a personalised device (smartphone, laptop, games console, tablet as well as desktop). - In the UK, smartphones are already more popular than laptops (used daily by 56% and 47% of 9-to-16‐year‐olds daily). In Portugal and Italy, laptops are used more often than smartphones, while in Denmark both are used daily by nearly three in four children. - The age of first use overall - at around eight years old - is little changed since 2010, although by 2013, children, especially 9-to-10- year‐olds, have access to much more complex smartphone convergent technologies than their 2010 predecessors. Online activities Research has shown that children's online activities vary by age - with children progressing up 'the ladder of opportunities' over time, from basic uses to creative and participatory uses of the internet: - The most popular online activities are watching video clips, social networking and listening to music. Some of the activities that policy makers and parents worry about are, in fact, rather rare - purchasing apps, spending time in a virtual world, registering one's geographic location, visiting chatrooms. - More children do more of most online activities now compared with a few years ago. Moreover, smartphone users make considerably more use of the internet in almost every way. However, many informational, civic and creative uses are regularly undertaken only by a minority of children. - By comparison with other European countries, UK children are the most satisfied with the online offer. But 9-to-10-year‐olds have become less satisfied over time with the content available to them. Smartphones expand the range of mobile communicative practices and audiences children are now able to engage with. Which children, then, use social networking and media‐sharing platforms, and how do they use them? - Facebook is the main platform used by the youngest age band, with 18% of 9-to-10‐year olds and 25% of 11-to-12‐year‐olds having a profile. Children continue to adopt some of the latest social networking sites (SNSs), and the UK is distinctive in the popularity of Twitter - 14% of all 9-to-16‐year‐olds use it. - However, since 2010, SNS use has dropped for girls (from 65% to 50%) but hardly for boys. It has also dropped substantially for younger children: safety campaigns have possibly had some effect. - Substantial numbers of children have relatively few online contacts, and the number of online contacts has dropped a little since 2010, when 16% reported more than 300 contacts (compared with 10% in 2013). - However, the UK's 14% who accept all 'friend' requests exceeds the European average of 9%, and is lower only than that of Romanian children (18%). - Half of SNS users keep their profiles private. Boys, teens, and children from low socio‐ economic status (SES) homes are more likely to have public profiles. - One‐quarter have provided a false age on their profile - more often younger children than teens. Skills Contrary to the myth of the digital native, children and young people do not naturally or automatically acquire digital literacy. The research examined children's self‐reported competence (or self‐confidence), along with self‐ reported ability with a specific list of skills, including those needed for mobile/online devices: - Two in three children say they know more than their parents about the internet, and 86% claim to know more than their parents about smartphones. However, 9-to-10-year‐olds generally think their parents know more about using the internet than they do. - Children's digital literacy and safety skills have not changed much since 2010, although children are now less able to block junk/spam and more able to manage their privacy settings and delete their history. - In Denmark the average number of skills related to the internet is higher than the UK, possibly because UK parents practise more restrictive mediation, limiting children's chance to explore and learn online. - Smartphone users are generally skilled in the use of their personal devices, but around one‐ third cannot block pay‐for pop‐ups or compare and choose the best or most reliable app or deactivate the function showing their geographical position. Younger girls seem particularly to lack the skill to use their personal devices effectively. Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 2014. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2018 at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/59098/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_repository_Content_Livingstone%2C%20S_EU%20Kids%20Online_Livingstone_Net_%20children_%20go_2014_Livingstone_Net_%20children_%20go_2014_author.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/59098/1/__lse.ac.uk_storage_LIBRARY_Secondary_libfile_shared_repository_Content_Livingstone%2C%20S_EU%20Kids%20Online_Livingstone_Net_%20children_%20go_2014_Livingstone_Net_%20children_%20go_2014_auth Shelf Number: 149553 Keywords: Internet CrimeOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Dodsworth, Jane Title: An examination of the perspectives and experiences of police officers working with children and young people at risk of, or involved in, child sexual exploitation Summary: In April 2014 Norfolk and Suffolk Constabulary commissioned The Centre for Research on Children and Families (CRCF) in the School of Social Work at the University of East Anglia to undertake a research study to explore the perspectives and experiences of police officers working in Norfolk with young people involved in, or at risk of, involvement in sexual exploitation (CSE). The objective was to increase understanding of what works well, what works less well and to identify any gaps in policy, procedure or practice, in order to inform service provision Key Findings: What Works Well - Four areas stood out as particular strengths in police officers' work with children and young people involved in CSE. These included officers': - Sense of commitment to and passion for CSE work - Awareness of the vulnerability of young people involved in CSE, including awareness of the links between victimisation and offending - Recognition of three categories of young people involved in internet abuse; 'naive' victims 'wise' victims and 'naive' offenders. - Understanding that prevention and proactive early intervention is key Conclusion Although this study has shown that there are identifiable difficulties, pressures and tensions for police officers in Norfolk working in this complex area, what is clearly evident is the high level of commitment to safeguarding, listening to and understanding children and young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. Details: Norwich, UK: Centre for Research on Children and Families University of East Anglia, 2014. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2018 at: http://www.uea.ac.uk/documents/3437903/4264977/Police+Perspectives+Research+Nov+14.pdf/2f6eafec-9093-44bb-938c-c46c3d88cf32 Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.uea.ac.uk/documents/3437903/4264977/Police+Perspectives+Research+Nov+14.pdf/2f6eafec-9093-44bb-938c-c46c3d88cf32 Shelf Number: 149666 Keywords: At-Risk YouthChild ProstitutionChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationOnline victimizationPolice Officers |
Author: WePROTECT Global Alliance Title: Global Threat Assessment 2018: Working together to end sexual exploitation of children online Summary: The Global Threat Assessment is the first of its type, both in terms of the broad stakeholder community that it draws from but also in its global vision to strengthen and further develop the international response to this growing and persistent threat. The report has been commissioned with the following aims: - raising international awareness of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE); - greater understanding of the threat and how it is evolving; - greater understanding of both the impact to victims and the wider societal impact of OCSE; - creating a baseline which can be used to monitor both the level of the threat and the positive impact that interventions are having on the offender population; - to provide evidence based examples to support members in making domestic and international decisions or investments. The WePROTECT Global Alliance to End Child Sexual Exploitation Online combines two major initiatives: the Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online, led by the US Department of Justice and the EU Commission, and WePROTECT, convened by the UK. This new, merged initiative has unprecedented reach, with 82 government members of the WePROTECT Global Alliance, along with major international organisations, 20 of the biggest names in the global technology industry, and 24 leading international and non-governmental organisations. Details: s.l.: The Alliance, 2018. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2018 at: http://www.africanchildinfo.net/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=1718&Itemid=142&lang=en Year: 2018 Country: International URL: http://www.africanchildinfo.net/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&sobi2Id=1718&Itemid=142&lang=en Shelf Number: 149945 Keywords: Child PornographyChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: European Crime Prevention Network Title: Cybersecurity and Safety Policy and Best Practices Summary: The 12th toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Estonian Presidency and the 2017 Best Practice Conference (BPC), which was Cyber Safety. This practical toolbox is to be read in tandem with the theoretical paper on this topic. First, the cybersecurity policy is situated between two driving forces: the economic and security forces. Creating trust in the digital market and protecting citizens from online harm are the main goals. Recently, the renewed EU policy on cyber-related issues is taking form. This first part presents an overview for policymakers and tries to guide the reader through the myriad of legislative proposals and policy documents. The second and third part focus on the good and promising practices which were submitted to compete in the 2017 European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA) and some additional projects that were sent to the Secretariat by the Member States. Being safe online is not a reflex for everyone and the projects that were gathered aim to achieve just that. We have a look at the orientation of the projects, which partners are present and some of the methods that were applied. These lessons learned provide practical information for the practitioners in their effort to prevent cybercrime and promote cyber safe behaviour. Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2018. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Toolbox 12: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_-_cybersecurity_and_safety_web_0.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Europe URL: http://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/eucpn_toolbox_-_cybersecurity_and_safety_web_0.pdf Shelf Number: 150042 Keywords: Computer Crimes Cybercrime Cybercrime Cybersecurity Internet Crimes Online Victimization |
Author: Children's Society Title: Safety Net: Cyberbullying's impact on young people's mental health: Inquiry report Summary: Key findings Under-age use of social media is commonplace - Despite most major social media companies - including Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram - specifying that users must be 13 years old to have an account, we found that 61% of young people had a first account at age 12 or under. Children and young people are using social media for longer periods and using multiple profiles - Our survey indicated that nearly half (44%) of children and young people spend more than three hours per day on social media, whilst almost 1 in 10 (9%) reported always using social media overnight between midnight and 6am. There is a connection between intensive social media use and mental ill health - Thirty eight percent of young people reported that social media has a negative impact on how they feel about themselves, compared to 23% who reported that it has a positive impact. This was exacerbated for girls, with 46% of girls stating that social media had a negative impact on their self-esteem. Cyberbullying - a new form of bullying - Although our inquiry found that offline bullying remains the most common form of bullying, it is clear that cyberbullying is distinct and potent, particularly due to its potential to be relentless. Children and young people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cyberbullying - Children and young people who are currently experiencing a mental health problem are more than three times more likely to have been bullied online in the last year. The steps being taken by social media companies in response to cyberbullying are inconsistent and inadequate - Throughout the course of the inquiry, we heard a number of examples from social media companies about positive initiatives they have established to respond to abusive content online, such as cyberbullying, as well as promoting the mental health of their users. Young people concluded that social media companies' current responses to cyberbullying are inadequate - There is an appetite among young people for greater interventions to disrupt cyberbullying, with 83% of young people saying that social media companies should do more to tackle cyberbullying on their platforms. There is a perceived lack of consequences for those who engage in bullying behaviour - Young people told the inquiry that they feel as though the onus is on the person who is experiencing cyberbullying to act. They spoke of a perceived lack of consequences for those who engage in bullying behaviour online, in a way there is not in the offline world. Social media companies need to do more to promote positive mental health and well-being - Young people overwhelmingly told the inquiry that they wanted social media companies to do more to promote positive mental health and interactions on their platforms. - Eighty two percent of young people thought social media companies should do more to promote mental health. Details: London: Children's Society, 2018. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/social-media-cyberbullying-inquiry-full-report_0.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/social-media-cyberbullying-inquiry-full-report_0.pdf Shelf Number: 150089 Keywords: Child ProtectionComputer CrimesCyberbullyingCybercrimeCybersecurityInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Childnet Title: Young people's experiences of online sexual harassment. Project deSHAME Summary: For most young people the internet plays an essential role in their friendships and relationships, providing positive opportunities for communication, connection and self-expression. However, for many young people, online sexual harassment is embedded in their digital lives and to some extent normalised and expected. It emerges as part of the wider dynamic of their peer group and intimate relationships. In this report, online sexual harassment is defined as unwanted sexual conduct on any digital platform and it is recognised as a form of sexual violence. Online sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of behaviours that use digital content (images, videos, posts, messages, pages) on a variety of different platforms (private or public). It can make a person feel threatened, exploited, coerced, humiliated, upset, sexualised or discriminated against. This report specifically focuses on peer-topeer online sexual harassment taking place between young people. Such harassment takes place in a gendered context, with girls being more likely to be targeted than boys - particularly for some forms of online sexual harassment - and these incidents often resulting in more negative outcomes for girls. In this report online sexual harassment has been categorised in four main types. These different behaviours are often experienced simultaneously and can overlap with offline experiences of sexual harassment. Non-consensual sharing of intimate images and videos: A person's sexual images and videos being shared without their consent or taken without their consent. Exploitation, coercion and threats: A person receiving sexual threats, being coerced to participate in sexual behaviour online, or blackmailed with sexual content. Sexualised bullying: A person being targeted by, and systematically excluded from, a group or community with the use of sexual content that humiliates, upsets or discriminates against them. Unwanted sexualisation: A person receiving unwelcome sexual requests, comments and content. The findings of the survey, focus groups and case study analysis demonstrate the prevalence of these forms of online sexual harassment and the short and long term impact on mental health and well-being they can have on young people. The research provides an indication that the experience and impact of online sexual harassment is unique to the individual and dependent on numerous intersecting factors, including actual or perceived gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, special educational need or disability. The report also highlights both the similarities and differences in the experiences of young people in Denmark, Hungary and the UK. Details: s.l.: Project deSHAME , 2017. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 18, 2018 at: http://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Project_deSHAME_Dec_2017_Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: http://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Project_deSHAME_Dec_2017_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 150268 Keywords: Computer CrimesInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationSexual ExploitationSexual HarassmentSexual Violence |
Author: Amnesty International Title: Toxic Twitter: Violence and Abuse Against Women Online Summary: Twitter is a social media platform used by hundreds of millions of people around the world to debate, network and share information with each other. From high-level female politicians to journalists, activists, writers and bloggers, to women who simply want to know what's happening around them - Twitter can be a powerful tool for women to make connections and express themselves. In fact, the company has touted itself as a place where 'every voice has the power to impact the world'. But for many women, Twitter is a platform where violence and abuse against them is allowed to flourish, often with little accountability. As a company, Twitter is failing to respect women's rights online by inadequately investigating and responding to reports of violence and abuse in a transparent manner. The violence and abuse many women experience on the platform has a detrimental effect on their right to express themselves equally, freely and without fear. Instead of Twitter strengthening women's voices, the violence and abuse women experience on the platform means that women are self-censoring what they post, limiting their interactions, or being driven off Twitter completely. At a watershed moment when women around the world are using their collective power to speak out and amplify their voices through social media platforms, Twitter's failure to respect human rights and tackle violence and abuse means that instead of women using their voices 'to impact the world', many women are instead being pushed backwards towards a culture of silence. Details: London: AI, 2018. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2018 at: https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Toxic-Twitter.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Toxic-Twitter.pdf Shelf Number: 150374 Keywords: Online VictimizationSocial MediaTwitterViolence Against Women |
Author: Pacheco, Edgar Title: New Zealand Teens and Digital Harm: Statistical insights into experiences, impact and response Summary: This report presents the findings of a nationally representative study whose purpose was to explore the experiences, attitudes, and behaviours of New Zealand teens about digital communications including harm and/or distress. It was conducted by Netsafe in partnership with the Ministry for Women (the Ministry). While there is growing interest in examining young people's experiences and use of digital technologies, including the challenges and risks teens face, evidence based on representative data in the New Zealand context has been unavailable. The study focuses on the prevalence of New Zealand teens' experiences with a range of unwanted digital communications1 in the previous year and the impact these experiences had on them, both emotionally and in carrying out everyday life activities. It also describes teens' responses, the effectiveness of their coping actions, and to whom they would turn for help in the future. The study reveals distinctive differences regarding experiences of harm and/or distress through unwanted digital communications among different sub-groups of the population surveyed. More noticeable are the varying experiences in the context of gender, with girls being more likely to experience disruptions in their everyday life activities and an emotional toll because of unwanted digital communications. These insights are consistent with key findings from Insights into Digital Harm: The Online Lives of New Zealand Girls and Boys, a qualitative study released last year by the Ministry in collaboration with Netsafe. Similar patterns have been identified in the context of participants' ethnicity, disability and age. The research technique for data collection was an online survey conducted with a sample of 1,001 New Zealand teens aged 14-17 years old and distributed on key demographic variables such as age, gender, disability, ethnicity and location. Fieldwork was conducted in the third term of the 2017 school year. Data collection and initial analysis was carried out by Colmar Brunton. Strict procedures were followed to ensure the protection of participants' privacy and confidentiality. The margin of error of this study is +/- 3.1% on total results. As digital technologies continue to evolve, so too will the ways young people engage with them. Further research will be required to fully explain new dimensions of the complex nature of teens' and children's interaction with their online environment. We believe government agencies, online content and service providers, law enforcement, the research community, and the general public will find this report useful. The findings can contribute to the development of policies and practices that are intended to support New Zealand teens to safely take advantage of the benefits of digital technologies and online environments. Details: Wellington, NZ: Netsafe, 2018. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed June 19, 2018 at: https://www.netsafe.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NZ-teens-and-digital-harm_statistical-insights_2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: New Zealand URL: https://www.netsafe.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/NZ-teens-and-digital-harm_statistical-insights_2018.pdf Shelf Number: 150578 Keywords: Digital HarmInternetOnline CommunicationsOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Bentley, Holly Title: How Safe are Our Children? The Most Comprehensive Overview of Child Protection in the UK: 2018 Summary: Technology is central to children's lives. In 2017, just over half of children aged 12 had at least one social media account, despite the minimum age requirements for many sites being 13. By age 13, that figure rises to nearly three-quarters. Today's children don't see the division between 'online' and 'offline' worlds. Social media is now a ubiquitous part of childhood, but alongside wonderful opportunities, it opens up an array of potential harms. For too long, social networks have been allowed to treat child safeguarding as an optional extra. We don't have the same protections in place online as offline, and the result is that children are exposed to unacceptable risks, in the spaces where they socialise, trust, and play. After a decade of inaction, the challenge we face is now immense, but not insurmountable. The scale and complexity of the online threat is growing. Most platforms have failed to integrate child safeguarding into their business models or the design of their platforms. Rapidly developing technology creates new opportunities to initiate, maintain and escalate abuse. As this year's How safe are our children? report makes clear, tackling these risks is now at the frontline in the fight for every childhood. What are the risks to children on social networks? Social media is part of the fabric of children's lives. Every moment, every experience is something to be captured online. Posts on social media aren't just a catalogue of 'real' life, they are an integral part of it. The ubiquity of social media carries many risks, from exposure to inappropriate and sexualised content, to the production and distribution of child abuse imagery, through to the growing scale of technology-facilitated grooming. Platforms provide new opportunities to initiate and facilitate abuse. With so many children using social networks, gaming and messaging sites, it means that today's children and young people are increasingly exposed to the threat of abuse or exploitation, from both adults and their peers Through the ease of access afforded by smartphones, groomers can target significant numbers of children, and quickly escalate and maintain their abuse. Groomers can readily move children into the shadows, moving children from well-known platforms to encrypted and hidden sites. New types of technology, notably livestreaming, provide new opportunities for abusers to control and coerce children into increasingly extreme forms of abuse. Self-generated imagery is a considerable issue, accounting for around a third of recent images removed by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Although children do not perceive a difference between their online and offline worlds, evidence suggests that lowered inhibitions can mean that children comply with requests that they would not offline. Once a self-generated image has been taken, it opens the door for exploitation and blackmail (including to prevent disclosure). The impact of losing control over an image can be devastating, particularly when it is shared among peers' social networks, sent to family members, or shared much more widely.Social networks have consistently failed to address these problems - and it is clear that their unwillingness to do so has actively fuelled the scale and extent of the risks that children now face. Platforms have failed to build in adequate safeguarding protections, take steps to proactively tackle grooming, and to do enough to proactively tackle child sexual abuse imagery at source. Successive governments have also repeatedly failed to intervene, placing disproportionate weight on the claims made by industry. As a result, for over a decade, social networks have repeatedly failed to protect their child users. Details: London: NSPCC, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2018 at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/how-safe-children-2018-report.pdf?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=How%20safe%20are%20our%20children%3F%20The%20most%20comprehensive%20overview%20of%20child%20protection%20in%20the%20UK.&utm_campaign=nitl-newsletter Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/how-safe-children-2018-report.pdf?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=How%20safe%20are%20our%20children%3F%20The%20most%20comprehensive%20overview%2 Shelf Number: 150628 Keywords: Child AbuseChild ExploitationChild GroomingChild ProtectionInternet CrimesOnline SafetyOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: European Crime Prevention Network Title: Youth Internet Safety: Risks and Prevention. Summary: This thematic paper is published by the EUCPN Secretariat in connection with one of the EU priorities, more specifically cybercrime. It focusses on the prevention of risks children encounter online. A brief overview is given of several forms of cybercrime considering youth and what motives and facilitating factors enhance them. The last part of the paper focusses on prevention tips with existing examples. Details: Brussels: EUCPN, 2018. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: EUCPN Theoretical Paper Series: Accessed August 9, 2018 at: https://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/thematic_paper_youth_internet_safety.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Europe URL: https://eucpn.org/sites/default/files/content/download/files/thematic_paper_youth_internet_safety.pdf Shelf Number: 151102 Keywords: Computer Crimes Cyberbullying Cybercrime Internet Crimes Internet Safety Online VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Anderson, Monica Title: A Majority of Teens Have Experienced Some Form of Cyberbullying Summary: Name-calling and rumor-spreading have long been an unpleasant and challenging aspect of adolescent life. But the proliferation of smartphones and the rise of social media has transformed where, when and how bullying takes place. A new Pew Research Center survey finds that 59% of U.S. teens have personally experienced at least one of six types of abusive online behaviors. The most common type of harassment youth encounter online is name-calling. Some 42% of teens say they have been called offensive names online or via their cellphone. Additionally, about a third (32%) of teens say someone has spread false rumors about them on the internet, while smaller shares have had someone other than a parent constantly ask where they are, who they're with or what they're doing (21%) or have been the target of physical threats online (16%). While texting and digital messaging are a central way teens build and maintain relationships, this level of connectivity may lead to potentially troubling and non-consensual exchanges. One-quarter of teens say they have been sent explicit images they didn't ask for, while 7% say someone has shared explicit images of them without their consent. These experiences are particularly concerning to parents. Fully 57% of parents of teens say they worry about their teen receiving or sending explicit images, including about one-quarter who say this worries them a lot, according to a separate Center survey of parents. The vast majority of teens (90% in this case) believe online harassment is a problem that affects people their age, and 63% say this is a major problem. But majorities of young people think key groups, such as teachers, social media companies and politicians are failing at tackling this issue. By contrast, teens have a more positive assessment of the way parents are addressing cyberbullying. These are some of the key findings from the Center's surveys of 743 teens and 1,058 parents living in the U.S. conducted March 7 to April 10, 2018. Throughout the report, "teens" refers to those ages 13 to 17, and "parents of teens" are those who are the parent or guardian of someone in that age range. Details: Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2018. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2018 at: http://www.pewinternet.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2018/09/PI_2018.09.27_teens-and-cyberbullying_FINAL.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://www.pewinternet.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2018/09/PI_2018.09.27_teens-and-cyberbullying_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 151778 Keywords: BullyingComputer CrimeCyber CrimeCyberbullyingOnline VictimizationSocial MediaTeenagers |
Author: Great Britain. Department for Education Title: Bullying in England, April 2013 to March 2018: Analysis on 10 to 15 year olds from the Crime Survey for England and Wales Summary: This document reports the prevalence of bullying among different groups of pupils in England. It provides information on: the types of bullying respondents experienced (including cyber-bullying); the frequency of the bullying; where it takes place; It also provides information on how well respondents felt their school dealt with bullying. It will be of interest to anyone who wants to know about bullying of 10 to 15 year olds in England. Details: London: The Author, 2018. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/754959/Bullying_in_England_2013-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/754959/Bullying_in_England_2013-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 154549 Keywords: Bullying Cyber Bullying Online VictimizationSchool Bullying School Crime |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Petitions Committee Title: Online abuse and the experience of disabled people. First Report of Session 2017-19 Summary: Social media is a means for people to organise, campaign and share experiences. It helps them to access services, manage their careers, shop, date and navigate a society that is too often designed without disabled people in mind. The disabled people we heard from were some of social media's most enthusiastic users. However, their experiences and Katie Price's petition highlight the extreme level of abuse that disabled people receive online-not just on social media, but in online games, web forums, newspaper comments sections and elsewhere. It is shameful that disabled people have had to leave social media whilst their abusers continue unchecked. Self-regulation of social media has failed disabled people. We agree with Katie Price's petition that the law on online abuse is not fit for purpose. Laws which cannot act against fake child pornography designed to mock a disabled child and his family cannot be considered adequate. Online abuse can destroy people's careers, their social lives and do lasting damage to their health. People should not have to avoid their town centre, local park or place of work to avoid sustained abuse, mockery and threats. Online spaces are just as important in the modern world and should be treated as such. Our recommendations focus on the experiences of disabled people as told to us during our inquiry and consultation events. We recognise there is wider work to do on the law on online abuse and the governance of social media. This is being taken up by other Select Committees. Our conclusions and recommendations should be read as a contribution to the conversation around online abuse, disability and the responsibility to ensure that offline and online spaces are safe and inclusive. For our part, our recommendations include: - The Government and social media companies must directly consult with disabled people on digital strategy and hate crime law. It is not enough to just provide alternative formats-though that is crucially importantor consult with self-appointed representatives. - Social media companies need to accept their responsibility for allowing toxic environments to exist unchallenged. They must ensure that their mechanisms and settings for managing content are accessible to and appropriate for all disabled people. They need to be more proactive in searching for and removing hateful and abusive content. They must demonstrate that they have worked in partnership with disabled people to achieve this. - The Government needs to recognise that the way disabled people are often marginalised offline plays a significant part in the abuse they receive online. It needs to challenge stereotypes and prejudices about disabled people, particularly among children and young people, and require proportionate representation of disabled people in its advertising. - Disability hate crime is not fully recognised and perpetrators are not appropriately punished. The law on hate crime must give disabled people the same protections as those who suffer hate crime due to race or religion. - The criminal justice system is too quick to categorise disabled people as "vulnerable". Hostility towards disabled people is often based on a perception that they are an easy target who can't contribute to society. The Government must recognise the links between prejudice against disabled people and their perceived vulnerability. Crimes against disabled people by reason of their disability should be recorded and sentenced as hate crimes. - It must be possible to see if someone has been convicted of a hate crime on the grounds of disability before employing them to work closely with disabled people. If the Government acts on our other recommendations, this should be possible through a Disclosure and Barring Service check. - The Government must review the experience of disabled people when reporting crimes and giving evidence. Too many disabled people have not been treated seriously because frontline officers and staff do not understand disability. Training and support is needed to overcome this. Good practice is too often isolated to a few specially trained police officers and initiatives. - The Government needs to review the law on exploitation within friendships or relationships. Social media companies need to review their processes and provide advice and support for those who identify as needing additional protection. In doing so, both Government and social media companies must consult directly with disabled people and respect their rights to make their own decisions about their lives. Details: London: House of Commons, 2019. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: HC 759: Accessed March 12, 2019 at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmpetitions/759/759.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmpetitions/759/759.pdf Shelf Number: 154898 Keywords: Disabled PersonsHate CrimeInternet CrimeOnline VictimizationSocial Media |
Author: Maxim, Donald Title: Online Child Exploitation Material - Trends and Emerging Issues: Research Report of the Australian National University Cybercrime Observatory with the input of the Office of the Children's eSafety Commissioner Summary: This report by the ANU Cybercrime Observatory provides an overview of three important areas for Child Exploitation Material (CEM): - The relationship between online and offline offending; - Horizon scanning - identifying emerging areas of CEM development; and - Current regulatory, educational and collaborative approaches to combatting CEM Each section provides an overview of the issue and further analysis of other key areas identified during the research phase. At the conclusion of each section, a brief annotated bibliography is available to provide insight into which sources may be useful for further investigation. Information for this report was derived from many and varied sources including but not limited to government agencies (national and international), non-governmental organisations, academic articles, law enforcement agencies, blogs, tech websites, product sites, online news articles and surveys. While investigating each area, the research team worked within the scope of online CEM and aimed to provide a substantial overview for each section by addressing some of the key points or emerging trends. However during the research phase several areas that were not initially considered for the report were later identified as key areas of development for online CEM (e.g. Virtual Reality and Applications). Accordingly these topics were also included in the report. The relationship between online and offline sexual offending is highly controversial and complex. It is clear that research is lacking in this area and current research presents insufficient evidence for establishing a causal relationship between online and offline offending. Apart from addressing some of the methodological limitations of research in this area, this section of the report also addresses how the internet or technological advances (e.g. Virtual Reality) may assist in the desistance of offending or exacerbate motivations to commit real life offenses. The second section presents several emerging issues in online CEM and aims to provide a brief but comprehensive insight into how these areas are developing. The various topics include live streaming, applications, online gaming, user-generated content, Darknet, hacking, phishing, emerging technology and Virtual Reality (VR). Some of these concepts are quite traditional (e.g. user-generated content) however it is the development of 'cyber' and 'technology', which frames them as emerging issues. Other topics (e.g. live streaming or VR) present new, unique challenges to combatting online CEM. Some topics include snapshots of current cases such as the Pokemon Go trend, the Australian schools online pornography website, and interactive VR brothels and their implications for CEM. The final section discusses trends and effectiveness of current regulatory, educational, and collaborative approaches to CEM. Regulatory methods include ISP and social media regulation, parental control tools, and the potential for app regulation is also briefly mentioned. Key educational approaches include online safety guides and training courses. Collaborative prevention measures include hotlines, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Child Rescue Coalition, and the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT). While these CEM prevention methods have made notable differences in detection and removal of CEM the effectiveness of education of the public, generation of reports, self-reporting, and tracking of child predators remains empirically untested. Technology is continually evolving and it is difficult to predict or evaluate emerging issues. The research team found it challenging to identify substantial information that can be verified by current research. This was particularly the case when analysing cutting edge or new technology as well as evaluating the effectiveness of current prevention approaches. This report aims to provide a reference point for further analysis and research on the topics addressed. Challenges associated with the cyber sphere and the 'Internet of Everything' do not remain static. The degree of facilitation (e.g. Virtual Private Networks, digital currency) and convergence associated with online CEM are continuously evolving in step with changes in technology. The rapid rate of change is the key challenge for the development of effective prevention strategies. This was demonstrated while our research was underway. Innovation, usually an adaptation of existing software or technology that was not initially present was later identified as a key developing area in online CEM (e.g. Virtual Reality and software applications). The Pokemon Go craze, which quickly attracted malware and grooming is a good example of the misuse of a popular apps. The velocity and variety of new and emerging risks with potential impact on online CEM will require, as a priority, the means to monitor these developments. The increase and rapid distribution of user-generated content is especially concerning. One aspect, consensually shared or 'stolen' sexualized images has given rise to 'sextortion', which can be propagated with the development of 'apps' that can inadvertently enhance and facilitate online CEM. Equally concerning are the implications of Virtual Reality (VR). VR in combination with teledildonics (or 'cyberdildonics' products designed to realise remote sex) enables potential offenders to live out any of their sexual fantasies. The VR trend may motivate offenders to seek on-line or off-line victims. The effects of VR on the conduct of pedophiles remain unclear. We don't know whether VR will placate desires or erode social inhibitions. However, VR is likely to encourage some criminals to enhance their experience by incorporating live streaming of child sex abuse with the tactile experiences promised by such technologies. The prevention of online CEM depends entirely on knowing present and emerging risks. Effective counter-measures include deep web surveillance of CEM innovators, and the development of early warning systems, for example, SNS 'swarm' warning flags. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, Cybercrime Observatory, 2016. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2861644 Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2861644 Shelf Number: 154957 Keywords: Child GroomingChild PornographyChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationCybercrimeInternet CrimesOnline VictimizationPornographySex OffendingSextortion |
Author: Katz, Adrienne Title: Vulnerable Children in a Digital World Summary: There can be no doubt of the significant change connected technology has had on the day to day lives of children and young people, and the pace at which the technology they are using develops is relentless. What is clear from our research is that the support networks around vulnerable children have not yet caught up with the reliance many of them have on their devices and the connectivity it brings them. Although it is readily accepted that some children and young people are more vulnerable than others we must now systematically and thoroughly consider the digital dimension in their lives to ensure we can better protect them from online risk. The Good Childhood Report shows that 18% of children live with seven or more serious problems, such as fear of crime, domestic violence and emotional neglect. One in five children do not have stability because of residential transience. More than a quarter live with a parent who has a mental health difficulty while almost 10% act as young carers for someone in their family. Children and young people may have physical, emotional or mental health problems of their own, including disabilities and special needs or speech and language difficulties. Increasing numbers of our young people have mental health difficulties, while others exhibit emotional distress. When adverse childhood experiences are acknowledged, it is evident that certain children require additional support. Despite these documented adversities, some vulnerable children remain hidden and neglected. The Children's Commissioner for England has raised awareness of many hidden groups and described the risks faced by vulnerable young people as 'the biggest social justice challenge of our time'. It is not surprising therefore that vulnerability should extend to digital life. Online, despite the advantages of technology, some children's vulnerabilities are exacerbated, and others are ill prepared for safe internet use. This briefing paper will highlight how some young people are vulnerable online in specific ways and suggest some solutions. Details: London: Internet Matters, 2019. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://pwxp5srs168nsac2n3fnjyaa-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Vulnerable-Children-in-a-Digital-World-FINAL.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://pwxp5srs168nsac2n3fnjyaa-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Vulnerable-Children-in-a-Digital-World-FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 155604 Keywords: Child ProtectionCyberbullyingInternetInternet SafetyOnline VictimizationSocial MediaVulnerable Children |
Author: Perry, Ronen Title: Civil Liability for Cyberbullying Summary: Cyberbullying has become a notorious epidemic, culminating in widely publicized suicides. Whether a new and distinct problem or an old one in a new guise, the technological setting has undoubtedly generated new challenges and, at the same time, new opportunities for legal response. Regrettably, while delegation of power to educational institutions and criminalization of cyber-misconduct are relatively common, at least in public discourse, the potential impact of civil liability has been downplayed. This Article puts the underexplored regulatory tool under the spotlight. It provides systematic legal and economic analyses of civil liability for cyberbullying, based on a trichotomy of potential defendants-primary wrongdoers, real-life supervisors (parents, schools), and virtual supervisors (mostly online platform operators). Ultimately, the Article lays the foundations for an efficiency-oriented model which integrates technological features to reduce supervisors' information costs. In order to incentivize parents to reasonably use advanced surveillance applications, the proposed model imposes liability when failure to employ such tools results in juvenile cyber-wrongdoing, in addition to standard liability for not taking reasonable precautions upon learning about the risk. The model also imposes liability on schools for cyberbullying through school devices if they failed to: (1) enforce reliable identification of users, (2) employ advanced surveillance tools, or (3) take reasonable measures to prevent harm upon notification of possible misconduct. Finally, the model holds a virtual supervisor liable if the victim has insufficient information to identify the wrongdoer, the victim gave notice of the complaint, and the virtual supervisor did not properly respond. Details: UC Irvine Law Review, Forthcoming, 2019. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3371020 Year: 2019 Country: International URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3371020 Shelf Number: 155874 Keywords: Civil Liability Cyberbullying Cybercrime Online VictimizationSocial Media |