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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon

Time: 8:18 pm

Results for online communications

31 results found

Author: Latonero, Mark

Title: The Rise of Mobile and the Diffusion of Technology-Facilitated Trafficking

Summary: In September 2012, President Obama identified human trafficking as one of the great human rights issues of our time, representing a “debasement of our common humanity that tears at the social fabric of our communities, endangers public health, distorts markets, and fuels violence and organized crime.” The nature and extent of human trafficking in modern society is complex and evolving, however, and our understanding of the phenomenon is fraught with contested terminologies and differing perceptions. Broadly speaking, human trafficking involves the severe sexual and labor exploitation of vulnerable people for financial gain, which amounts to a gross violation of human rights. Children exploited in the sex trade are especially at risk. What role does technology play in the shifting dynamics of human trafficking today? In this report, researchers at the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP) reveal how those involved in human trafficking have been quick to adapt to the 21st-century global landscape. While the rapid diffusion of digital technologies such as mobile phones, social networking sites, and the Internet has provided significant benefits to society, new channels and opportunities for exploitation have also emerged. Increasingly, the business of human trafficking is taking place online and over mobile phones. But the same technologies that are being used for trafficking can become a powerful tool to combat trafficking. The precise role that digital technologies play in human trafficking still remains unclear, however, and a closer examination of the phenomenon is vital to identify and respond to new threats and opportunities. This investigation indicates that mobile devices and networks have risen in prominence and are now of central importance to the sex trafficking of minors in the United States. While online platforms such as online classifieds and social networking sites remain a potential venue for exploitation, this research suggests that technology-facilitated trafficking is more diffuse and adaptive than initially thought. This report presents a review of current literature, trends, and policies; primary research based on mobile phone data collected from online classified sites; a series of firsthand interviews with law enforcement; and key recommendations to policymakers and stakeholders moving forward. While the sex trafficking of minors continues to expand across multiple media platforms, our research indicates that the rise of mobile technology may fundamentally transform the trafficking landscape. No other communication technology in history, including the Internet, has been adopted so rapidly around the world. The World Bank estimates that 75% of the global population has access to a mobile phone. Mobile’s ability to facilitate real-time communication and coordination, unbound by physical location, is also being exploited by traffickers to extend the reach of their illicit activities. Traffickers are able to recruit, advertise, organize, and communicate primarily—or even exclusively—via mobile phone, effectively streamlining their activities and expanding their criminal networks. In short, human traffickers and criminal networks are taking advantage of technology to reach larger audiences and to do illicit business more quickly and efficiently across greater distances. Mobile communication may also represent a breakthrough for interventions by law enforcement and the anti-trafficking community. Data gleaned from cellphones and mobile networks constitute a trail of information and evidence that can be a powerful tool in identifying, tracking, and prosecuting traffickers. Mobile technologies can also be used to reach vulnerable communities and raise public awareness. The rise of mobile has major implications both for the spread of human trafficking and for anti-trafficking efforts, and should be carefully considered by law enforcement, policymakers, and activists as they develop strategies to combat human trafficking in the United States and worldwide. Furthermore, the respect for privacy and civil liberties, and potential unintended consequences of technological interventions on victims and survivors, are crucial considerations in developing mobile-based solutions. This research expands on CCLP’s 2011 report examining the role of online technologies in human trafficking. Key findings of the 2011 report focused on the use of Internet technologies, particularly online classifieds and social media sites, for the sex trafficking of minors in the United States. The USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI) and CCLP collaborated to develop prototype software designed to detect possible cases of sex trafficking of minors online. Our research indicated that tools such as data mining, mapping, computational linguistics, and advanced analytics could be used by governmental and nongovernmental organizations, law enforcement, academia, and the private sector to further anti-trafficking goals of prevention, protection, and prosecution.

Details: Los Angeles: University of Southern California, Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, 2012. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Series on Technology and Human Trafficking; Accessed November 23, 2012 at: http://www.ungift.org/doc/knowledgehub/resource-centre/USC-Annenberg-Technology-and-Human-Trafficking-2012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: International

URL: http://www.ungift.org/doc/knowledgehub/resource-centre/USC-Annenberg-Technology-and-Human-Trafficking-2012.pdf

Shelf Number: 126983

Keywords:
Human Trafficking
Mobile Technologies
Mobile Telephones
Online Communications
Sex Trafficking
Sexual Exploitation
Technology and Crime

Author: Berger, J.M.

Title: Who Matters Online: Measuring influence, evaluating content and countering violent extremism in online social networks

Summary: It is relatively easy to identify tens of thousands of social media users who have an interest in violent ideologies, but very difficult to figure out which users are worth watching. For students of extremist movements and those working to counter violent extremism online, deciphering the signal amid the noise can prove incredibly daunting. This paper sets out a first step in solving that problem. We have devised a scoring system to find out which social media accounts within a specific extremist circle were most influential and most prone to be influenced (a tendency we called exposure). Our starting data centered on followers of 12 American white nationalist/white supremacist “seed” accounts on Twitter. We discovered that by limiting our analysis to interactions with this set, the metrics also identified the users who were highly engaged with extremist ideology. Within our total dataset of 3,542 users, only 44 percent overtly identified themselves as white nationalists online. By measuring interactions alone—without analyzing user content related to the ideology—we narrowed the starting set down to 100 top-scoring accounts, of which 95 percent overtly selfidentified as white nationalist. Among the top 200, 83 percent self-identified, and for the top 400, the self-identification rate was 74 percent. A comparison analysis run on followers of anarchist Twitter accounts suggests the methodology can be used without modification on any number of ideologies. Because this approach is entirely new (at least in the public sphere), the paper spends some time discussing the methodology and findings in some detail, before concluding with a series of recommendations for countering violent extremism (CVE) based on the findings. The key terms for understanding the recommendations are: • Influence: The tendency of a user to inspire a measurable reaction from other users (such as a replies or retweets). • Exposure: The flip side of influence, this is the tendency of a user to respond to another user in a measurable way. • Interactivity: The sum of influence and exposure scores, roughly representing how often a user interacts with the content of other users. Our key findings include: • Influence is highly concentrated among the top 1 percent of users in the set. • High scores in both influence and exposure showed a strong correlation to engagement with the seed ideology (white nationalism in our primary analysis, and anarchism in a secondary analysis). • Interactivity, the sum of influence and exposure scores, was even more accurate at identifying users highly engaged with the seed ideology. In the course of collecting the data needed to measure influence and exposure, we incidentally collected a large amount of data on hashtags and links used by people who follow known white nationalists on Twitter. When we examined this data, we discovered that members of the dataset were highly engaged with partisan Republican and mainstream conservative politics. The paper presents a significant amount of context needed to properly evaluate this finding. Working from these findings, the paper makes several recommendations for new CVE initiatives with a focus on NGO efforts, which was the purpose of this research, although we recognize our findings will likely have utility for government efforts in this sphere as well. Our recommendations include: • We believe these metrics offer ways to concretely measure which types of CVE approaches are effective and which are not, bringing some clarity to a realm where strategies are often wishful and based on assumptions, while conclusions are often anecdotal and inconclusive. • The concentration of influence among a very few users suggests that disruptive approaches and countermessaging should be targeted to the top of the food chain, rather than working with the larger base of users. • Our analysis found that the seed accounts—all wellknown white nationalist ideologues and activists—were not necessarily producing the most popular content and links to external Web sites. The collected data can be used to find the most important external content sources, and target them for disruption through terms-of-service violation reporting, or through counter-messaging. • By tracking these metrics on an ongoing basis, NGO efforts to counterprogram against extremist narratives can be evaluated to measure how many users adopt or respond to counter-messaging content, and how much influence accrues to different kinds of positive messaging. • Since the data suggests white nationalists are actively seeking dialogue with conservatives, CVE activists should enlist the help of mainstream conservatives, who may be considerably more successful than NGOs at engaging extremists with positive messaging. Further research may also suggest avenues for engagement between other kinds of extremists and other mainstream political and religious movements. Finally, we believe that these metrics are only a starting point for the study of extremist use of social media. We believe the metrics and approaches here can be further refined, and we believe that additional research may yield substantial new techniques for monitoring and countering the promotion of violent ideologies online.

Details: London: International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR), King's College London, 2013. 56p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ICSR_Berger-and-Strathearn.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: International

URL: http://icsr.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ICSR_Berger-and-Strathearn.pdf

Shelf Number: 128326

Keywords:
Extremists Groups
Online Communications
Social Media
Violent Extremism

Author: Tallon, Kelly

Title: New Voices / New Laws: School-age young people in New South Wales speak out about the criminal laws that apply to their online behaviour

Summary: This report provides a children’s rights-based analysis and evaluation of the current criminal laws that can apply to peer-to-peer sexting and cyber bullying among young people in New South Wales (NSW). The report is the outcome of New Voices/New Laws, a project undertaken by the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre (NCYLC) and Children’s Legal Service of Legal Aid NSW (CLS). It offers insight on sexting and cyber bullying that we have garnered from our work as youth legal educators and advocates; examines the criminal law framework that applies to these behaviours in NSW; explains the need to reform these laws; surveys the views of young people on sexting, cyber bullying and the law; reviews some of the law reform efforts undertaken in other Australian and overseas jurisdictions; and on these bases, makes recommendations for law and policy makers in NSW. The New Voices/New Laws project grew out of our concern that young people’s use of social media, mobile phones and the internet can lead to serious and often disproportionate criminal penalties—of which most young people (and many adults) are unaware. The project aimed to: • educate young people about the criminal laws that can apply to sexting and cyber bullying; • encourage young people to voice their opinions on these laws; • amplify the voices and opinions of young people; and • facilitate advocacy for reform of inappropriate criminal laws and penalties. In order to achieve these aims, we engaged directly with over 1,000 young people through school-based consultations. Between June and October 2012, we conducted 10 consultations at 8 schools in 7 regions—Wollongong, Dubbo, Sydney, Hunter, Tamworth, Broken Hill and Albury. The consultations generally consisted of a presentation on the laws and penalties that can apply to sexting and cyber bullying; a survey asking participants to share their knowledge and opinions of these laws and penalties; and a focus group discussion of the issues. The presentation and survey were also made available online.

Details: Sydney: National Children’s and Youth Law Centre and Legal Aid NSW, 2012. 87p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://www.lawstuff.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/15030/New-Voices-Law-Reform-Report.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.lawstuff.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/15030/New-Voices-Law-Reform-Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 129186

Keywords:
Cyberbullying
Cybercrimes
Internet Crimes
Online Communications
Sexting (Australia)

Author: McLean, Andrew

Title: An Evolving Trade? Male Sex Work and the Internet

Summary: This investigation into the online male sex trade in Melbourne explores the Internet's rise in popularity as a marketplace for male sex workers (MSWs). It examines the ways in which clients and workers engage with the Internet, as well as the effect(s) of this new domain upon workers and their professional encounters. The study finds that engaging in sex work is a common experience for young, attractive gay men, with many opting to offer their services (illegally) online in favour of more traditional sites (e.g. street, brothel/agency and print) due to a number of perceived advantages - such as anonymity, convenience and greater economic rewards. In turn, clients of MSWs also prefer to use the Internet for reasons pertaining to privacy and convenience. The marketing strategies employed by MSWs widely exploit stereotypes associated with (gay) masculinity in a market where visual representations of sexuality are of paramount importance. The study examines workers' perceptions of success. Many associate long-term success in the industry with an ability to self-monitor, allowing for the maintenance of a wealthy client base. Finally, the study investigates the key legislative and social issues that may complicate the working and personal lives of Internet-based male sex workers (IMSWs).

Details: Melbourne: School of Global, Urban and Social Studies RMIT University,, 2013. 201p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160406/McLean.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Australia

URL: http://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160406/McLean.pdf

Shelf Number: 129243

Keywords:
Internet Crimes
Male Prostitutes
Male Sex Workers (Australia)
Online Communications
Prostitution

Author: Van Buskirk, J.

Title: Drugs and the Internet

Summary: To date the availability of illicit drugs in Australia has largely been examined through interviews with people who use drugs (e.g. the Ecstasy and related Drugs Reporting System, EDRS); indicators such as drug seizures and arrests; and analyses of hospital admissions and drug-related deaths. Over the past decade there has been an increasing awareness and interest in online marketplaces as a source for discussion about and purchase of drugs (Walsh, 2011). There are now many internet sites selling substances such as prescription opioids, substances marketed as �legal� highs (e.g. herbal smoking blends) and substances that have been listed as controlled drugs (e.g. emerging psychoactive substance � EPS � such as mephedrone and synthetic cannabinoids). EPS is a general term used to refer to substances that have similar subjective effects to existing illicit psychoactive substances, and many of these are now listed as controlled drugs (i.e. they are now illicit) in Australia. The advent of the Silk Road in 2011, as an online marketplace, has broadened out the availability of EPS and other more conventional illicit substances (such as cannabis and MDMA). This bulletin is the first in a new Drug Trends series that provides analysis of trends over time in the availability and type of substances sold via the internet to Australia. The current bulletin reports for the time period September 2012 to February 2013. Key findings � The number of retailers on the Silk Road increased (from 282 at time 1 to 374 at the last time point), while the number of retailers on the surface web remained relatively stable (92 at time 1 and 101 at the last time point). The increase on the Silk Road is largely driven by international rather than domestic retailers. � On the Silk Road, cannabis and EPS were sold by the largest number of retailers consistently across all time points, followed by MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-Nmethylamphetamine) and pharmaceuticals (primarily benzodiazepines and sildenafil). � The type of EPS available from surface web retailers differed substantially from the EPS available from those selling on the Silk Road. EPS sold on the Silk Road more closely mirrored those most commonly used by EDRS participants (i.e. people who regularly use psychostimulants) including drugs from the 2C-x and NBOMe categories, followed by DMT (dimethyltryptamine), Mephedrone and Methylone. Average prices of methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy being sold on the Silk Road remained stable across the time period. Average domestic prices for common quantities of these substances were comparable to prices paid for these same quantities by 2012 EDRS participants. Average international prices for these substances were substantially lower.

Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2013. 11p.

Source: Internet Resource: Issue 1: Accessed March 21, 2014 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/DrugsTheInternet_Newsletter%20FINAL%20with%20ISSN.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Australia

URL: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/DrugsTheInternet_Newsletter%20FINAL%20with%20ISSN.pdf

Shelf Number: 104854

Keywords:
Drug Abuse and Addiction
Illicit Drugs
Internet
Online Communications
Online Transactions

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:
Bullying
Child Abuse
Child Pornography
Child Protection
Child Sexual Exploitation
Computer Crimes
Internet Crimes
Online Communications
Online Security
Online Victimization
Pedophilia
Pornography

Author: Mitchell, Kimberly J.

Title: Trends in Unwanted Online Experiences and Sexting: Final Report

Summary: This bulletin summarizes findings from the Third Youth Internet Safety Survey (YISS�]3). Topics include youth reports of unwanted sexual solicitations, online harassment, unwanted exposure to sexual material, and "sexting."

Details: Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire, 2014. 57p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Full%20Trends%20Report%20Feb%202014%20with%20tables.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/Full%20Trends%20Report%20Feb%202014%20with%20tables.pdf

Shelf Number: 147747

Keywords:
Internet Crimes
Internet Safety
Online Communications
Pornography
Sex Crimes
Sexting
Sexual Harassment

Author: Aldridge, Judith

Title: Not an 'Ebay for Drugs': The Cryptomarket 'Silk Road' as a Paradigm Shifting Criminal Innovation

Summary: The online cryptomarket Silk Road has been oft-characterised as an 'eBay for drugs' with customers drug consumers making personal use-sized purchases. Our research demonstrates that this was not the case. Using a bespoke web crawler, we downloaded all drugs listings on Silk Road in September 2013. We found that a substantial proportion of transactions on Silk Road are best characterised as 'business-to-business', with sales in quantities and at prices typical of purchases made by drug dealers sourcing stock. High price-quantity sales generated between 31-45% of revenue, making sales to drug dealers the key Silk Road drugs business. As such, Silk Road was what we refer to as a transformative, as opposed to incremental, criminal innovation. With the key Silk Road customers actually drug dealers sourcing stock for local street operations, we were witnessing a new breed of retail drug dealer, equipped with a technological subcultural capital skill set for sourcing stock. Sales on Silk Road increased from an estimate of $14.4 million in mid 2012 to $89. million by our calculations. This is a more than 600% increase in just over a year, demonstrating the demand for this kind of illicit online marketplace. With Silk Road functioning to considerable degree at the wholesale/broker market level, its virtual location should reduce violence, intimidation and territorialism. Results are discussed in terms of the opportunities cryptomarkets provide for criminologists, who have thus far been reluctant to step outside of social surveys and administrative data to access the world of 'webometric' and 'big data'.

Details: Unpublished paper, 2014. 29p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2014 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2436643

Year: 2014

Country: International

URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2436643

Shelf Number: 132582

Keywords:
Drug Dealers
Drug Markets
Drug Offenders
Online Communications

Author: Katz, Ilan

Title: Research on youth exposure to, and management of, cyberbullying incidents in Australia

Summary: The Social Policy Research Centre was commissioned by the Australia Government, as part of its commitment to Enhance Online Safety for Children External Links icon , to investigate youth exposure to cyberbullying and how it is being managed. The report was developed in collaboration with National Children's and Youth Law Centre, the University of South Australia, the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, and the University of Western Sydney. The research shows that each year, one in five young Australians aged 8-17 are victims of cyberbullying. This behaviour is most prominent in children aged 10-15 years, with prevalence decreasing for 16-17 year-olds. The estimated number of children and young people who were victims of cyberbullying last year was approximately 463,000, with around 365,000 in the 10-15 age group. The report also notes that the prevalence of cyberbullying has 'rapidly increased' since it first emerged as a behaviour. The report indicates that the most appropriate way of addressing cyberbullying is to introduce a series of responses including restorative approaches, educating young people about the consequences of cyberbullying, and requiring social networking sites to take down offensive material. The findings are presented in three parts. Please click on the links below for the separate sections or see the synthesis report for the collated findings. Part A: The estimated prevalence of cyberbullying incidents involving Australian minors, based on a review of existing published research including how such incidents are currently being dealt with. Part B: The estimated prevalence of cyberbullying incidents involving Australian minors that are reported to police, community legal advice bodies and other related organisations, the nature of these incidents, and how such incidents are currently being dealt with. Part C: An evidence-based assessment to determine, if a new, simplified cyberbullying offence or a new civil enforcement regime were introduced, how such an offence or regime could be implemented, in conjunction with the existing criminal offences, to have the greatest material deterrent effect. Appendix A: Literature review - International responses to youth cyberbullying and current Australian legal context Appendix B: Findings of research with adult stakeholders Appendix C: Findings of research with youth Appendix D: Supplementary data and analysis

Details: Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, 2014. 8 parts

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/cyberbullying/

Year: 2014

Country: Australia

URL: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/cyberbullying/

Shelf Number: 133046

Keywords:
Bullying
Computer Crime
Cyberbullying (Australia)
Cybercrime
Internet Crime
Juvenile Offenders
Online Communications
Online Safety
Social Networks

Author: Sherbert Research

Title: Children's Online Behaviour: Issues of risk and trust - qualitative research findings

Summary: Sherbert Research was commissioned by Ofcom to conduct qualitative research on how children think about and manage online risks, and if and how they decide what sources to trust online. Ofcom has a statutory duty to further the interests of citizens in relation to communications matters, and is guided by a regulatory duty to promote media literacy, including among children. Ofcom conducts regular research on how children use telecommunications services. To date, there has been little in-depth research on children's critical thinking skills online, and this research furthers understanding in this important area. The research was designed to address the following core questions relating to children's critical thinking: - Do children understand the issues and risks around their personal data and their wider online activity and what, if any, strategies do they employ to manage these issues and risks? - How do they decide which external information sources to trust online, and what authentication approaches do they use? The study focused on a cross-section of children and young people aged 8 to 17 across the UK. A triangulation-based research approach was used, consisting of groups of three friends (termed 'friendship triads' in this research), one-to-one 'accompanied surfs' and filmed, unmoderated sessions. In total, 54 individual respondents took part in 36 research sessions. Fieldwork was conducted in February and March 2014.

Details: London: Ofcom, 2014. 97p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2014 at: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/research-publications/childrens/report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/research-publications/childrens/report.pdf

Shelf Number: 133465

Keywords:
Internet
Online Communications
Online Security
Online Victimization (U.K.)

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 Abuse
Child Protection
Child Sexual Exploitation
Computer Crimes
Cybercrime (International)
Internet Crimes
Online Communications
Online Victimization

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 Abuse
Online Communications
Online Victimization
Sexting

Author: Finklea, Kristin

Title: Dark Web

Summary: The layers of the Internet go far beyond the surface content that many can easily access in their daily searches. The other content is that of the Deep Web, content that has not been indexed by traditional search engines such as Google. The furthest corners of the Deep Web, segments known as the Dark Web, contain content that has been intentionally concealed. The Dark Web may be used for legitimate purposes as well as to conceal criminal or otherwise malicious activities. It is the exploitation of the Dark Web for illegal practices that has garnered the interest of officials and policy makers. Individuals can access the Dark Web by using special software such as Tor (short for The Onion Router). Tor relies upon a network of volunteer computers to route users' web traffic through a series of other users' computers such that the traffic cannot be traced to the original user. Some developers have created tools - such as Tor2web - that may allow individuals access to Torhosted content without downloading and installing the Tor software, though accessing the Dark Web through these means does not anonymize activity. Once on the Dark Web, users often navigate it through directories such as the "Hidden Wiki," which organizes sites by category, similar to Wikipedia. Individuals can also search the Dark Web with search engines, which may be broad, searching across the Deep Web, or more specific, searching for contraband like illicit drugs, guns, or counterfeit money. While on the Dark Web, individuals may communicate through means such as secure email, web chats, or personal messaging hosted on Tor. Though tools such as Tor aim to anonymize content and activity, researchers and security experts are constantly developing means by which certain hidden services or individuals could be identified or "deanonymized." Anonymizing services such as Tor have been used for legal and illegal activities ranging from maintaining privacy to selling illegal goods - mainly purchased with Bitcoin or other digital currencies. They may be used to circumvent censorship, access blocked content, or maintain the privacy of sensitive communications or business plans. However, a range of malicious actors, from criminals to terrorists to state-sponsored spies, can also leverage cyberspace and the Dark Web can serve as a forum for conversation, coordination, and action. It is unclear how much of the Dark Web is dedicated to serving a particular illicit market at any one time, and, because of the anonymity of services such as Tor, it is even further unclear how much traffic is actually flowing to any given site. Just as criminals can rely upon the anonymity of the Dark Web, so too can the law enforcement, military, and intelligence communities. They may, for example, use it to conduct online surveillance and sting operations and to maintain anonymous tip lines. Anonymity in the Dark Web can be used to shield officials from identification and hacking by adversaries. It can also be used to conduct a clandestine or covert computer network operation such as taking down a website or a denial of service attack, or to intercept communications. Reportedly, officials are continuously working on expanding techniques to deanonymize activity on the Dark Web and identify malicious actors online.

Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2015. 18p.

Source: Internet Resource: CRS:R55101: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: International

URL: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf

Shelf Number: 136120

Keywords:
Computer Crime
Dark Web
Illegal Behavior
Illicit Goods
Internet Crime
Online Communications

Author: Mendel, Jonathan

Title: Human Trafficking and Online Networks

Summary: The Briefing, co-authored by Kiril Sharapov, Marie Curie Research Fellow at CPS, and Jonathan Mendel, Lecturer in Geography at Dundee University, provides an overview of human trafficking and online networks as an emerging area of policy concern at the European level, and presents headline results from two empirical investigations, which explore what is currently known about the use of online networks to facilitate trafficking in human beings.

Details: Budapest: Centre for Policy Studies, Central European University, 2014. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Policy Briefing: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: https://thbregionalimplementationinitiative.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cps-policy-brief-upkat-human-trafficking-and-online-networks-2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Europe

URL: https://thbregionalimplementationinitiative.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/cps-policy-brief-upkat-human-trafficking-and-online-networks-2014.pdf

Shelf Number: 137039

Keywords:
Human Trafficking
Online Communications
Online Victimization

Author: Gill, Paul

Title: What are the roles of the internet in terrorism? Measuring Online Behaviours of Convicted UK Terrorists

Summary: Using a unique dataset of 227 convicted UK-based terrorists, this report fills a large gap in the existing literature. Using descriptive statistics, we first outline the degree to which various online activities related to radicalisation were present within the sample. The results illustrate the variance in behaviours often attributed to 'online radicalisation'. Second, we conduct a smallest-space analysis to illustrate two clusters of commonly co-occurring behaviours that delineate behaviours from those directly associated with attack planning. Third, we conduct a series of bivariate and multivariate analyses to question whether those who interact virtually with like-minded individuals or learn online, exhibit markedly different experiences (e.g. radicalisation, event preparation, attack outcomes) than those who do not.

Details: VOX-Pol Network of Excellence, 2015. 64p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://voxpol.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DCUJ3518_VOX_Lone_Actors_report_02.11.15_WEB.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://voxpol.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/DCUJ3518_VOX_Lone_Actors_report_02.11.15_WEB.pdf

Shelf Number: 137352

Keywords:
Extremist Groups
Internet
Online Communications
Radical Groups
Radicalization
Terrorism
Terrorists
Violent Extremism

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: Saltman, Erin Marie

Title: The Role of Prevent in Countering Online Extremism

Summary: The following White Paper addresses the role of the UK government and social media companies and Internet service providers (ISP) in monitoring and policing the Internet for extremist and/or terrorism-related content. This paper seeks to analyse the effectiveness of the UK government's Prevent strategy and provide recommendations for its improvement in line with the current nature of the threat. Currently, the two biggest challenges for UK counter-terrorism are the radicalisation and recruitment of individuals by the jihadist organisation Islamic State (IS) and the use of the Internet by IS and other extremist organisations to spread unwanted and potentially dangerous ideologies and narratives internationally. This subject is of great importance, especially as government debates how best to tackle extremism and adequately implement counter-extremism measures both in real terms and online. Sections 2 and 3 discuss the framework of the government's Prevent strategy, while sections 4 through 9 detail the challenges extremism and terrorism-related content online pose. Section 10 addresses the role of Prevent in countering online extremism in the UK.

Details: London: Quilliam Foundation, 2014. 13p.

Source: Internet Resource: White Paper: Accessed February 12, 2016 at: http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/white-paper-the-role-of-prevent-in-countering-online-extremism.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/white-paper-the-role-of-prevent-in-countering-online-extremism.pdf

Shelf Number: 137849

Keywords:
Counter-Extremism
Extremism
Extremist Groups
Online Communications
Radical Groups
Radicalization
Social Media

Author: Hussain, Ghaffar

Title: Jihad Trending: A Comprehensive Analysis of Online Extremism and How to Counter it

Summary: Online extremism and the role the Internet plays in the radicalisation process is currently being debated and discussed by journalists, academics, technologists and government officials alike. This report demystifies the topic of extremist content online and exposes the manner in which online tools are being used by Islamist extremist organisations and individuals to recruit and propagandise. Current measures to tackle online extremism are also assessed and critiqued, after which the report details a practical strategy for countering extremism online and making the Internet a less hospitable domain for extremists. The research conducted for this report focuses on 30 Islamist extremist groups operating in the UK and France, mapping their use of the Internet and what they hope to achieve through their online activities. Popular online platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter as well as chat rooms, discussion forums and static websites are analysed with a view to assessing the role online extremist messaging plays in the radicalisation process. The report also addresses the issue of censorship, assessing the effectiveness of current filtering methods available and their overall efficacy. Research for this report was based on original data collection and analyses as well as interviews with a range of experts, mentors and target audiences. Key findings in this report: - With the Internet often being accused of producing radicalisation in isolation of other factors, this report found that the vast majority of radicalised individuals come into contact with extremist ideology through offline socialisation prior to being indoctrinated online. In other words, the Internet does not radicalise in isolation of other factors and should not be targeted as the 'cause' of radicalisation. As such, the Internet's role is less about initiating the radicalisation process; rather it acts as a facilitator and catalyst for the radicalisation process by 1) indoctrinating, 2) educating and 3) socialising individuals. - Although governments are increasingly relying on censorship and filtering methods to counter online extremism, this report found that negative measures, or censorship in general, was not only ineffective and costly but also potentially counter-productive. - Positive measures, such as developing counter-extremist efforts through online counter-speech content and popularising online initiatives that fight against extremism are much more effective in challenging extremist ideologies. However, there are currently not enough materials that counter extremist content online, allowing extremists to monopolise certain issues. - We found that results from search engines rarely, if ever, provide links to content that supported Islamist extremism. It was equally rare to find content countering extremist narratives. - Research also found that available Islamist extremist content websites were most successful if they provided more subtle, non-illegal information platforms with links to active social media platforms for users. Available static websites served primarily to 1) propagate the Islamist narrative through specific interpretations of scriptures, 2) promote martyrdom and 3) solidify a 'self versus other' allegiance to Muslims, rejecting non-Muslims. This report seeks to differentiate itself from previous reports on online extremism in two ways; firstly the research itself is much more in-depth and diverse, combining qualitative and quantitative data to reach conclusions. Secondly, this report offers a comprehensive and practical list of recommendations which, if implemented fully, could unleash a new wave of online activism that will take the fight to extremists online, breaking the current monopoly they hold over certain socio-political issues. Recommendations to public, private and third party sectors based on our findings: - Establishing a forum that deals with online extremism and brings stakeholders from key sectors together in order to do so. - Improving digital literacy and critical consumption skills in schools and communities. - Encouraging the establishment of a social media outlet that clarifies government policies and debunks propaganda. - A mapping exercise that explores current efforts to tackle extremism online and identifies partners that could be given support to develop an effective online presence. - Establishing a central body that offers seed funding and training for grassroots online counter-extremism initiatives. - More research into how the far right is using the Internet to propagandise giving a broader view of 'extremism online'. The findings and recommendations of this report suggest a clearer understanding of the role the Internet plays in radicalisation process and an appreciation of the dangers of relying on illiberal censorship can contribute towards the development of a more holistic approach to tackling extremism online. Relying on the cultivation of grassroots initiatives to develop and promote counter-speech online, as opposed to censorship, could help turn the tide against current extremist efforts. However, co-operation and regular communication between stakeholders from key sectors is vital in order for the above vision to be realised and, thus, the establishment of a forum that allows this to take place is also important.

Details: London: Quilliam Foundation, 2014. 132p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2016 at: http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/jihad-trending-quilliam-report.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/publications/free/jihad-trending-quilliam-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 137854

Keywords:
Counter-Extremism
Counter-Terrorism
Extremism
Extremist Groups
Internet
Islamists
Online Communications
Radical Groups
Radicalization
Terrorism

Author: Vidino, Lorenzo

Title: Terrorist Chatter: Understanding what terrorists talk about

Summary: Since the early 2000s the Internet has become particularly crucial for the global jihadist movement. Nowhere has the Internet been more important in the movement's development than in the West. While dynamics differ from case to case, it is fair to state that almost all recent cases of radicalization in the West involve at least some digital footprint. Jihadists, whether structured groups or unaffiliated sympathizers, have long understood the importance of the Internet in general and social media, in particular. Zachary Chesser, one of the individuals studied in this report, fittingly describes social media as "simply the most dynamic and convenient form of media there is." As the trend is likely to increase, understanding how individuals make the leap to actual militancy is critically important. This study is based on the analysis of the online activities of seven individuals. They share several key traits. All seven were born or raised in the United States. All seven were active in online and offline jihadist scene around the same time (mid- to late 2000s and early 2010s). All seven were either convicted for terrorism- related offenses (or, in the case of two of the seven, were killed in terrorism- related incidents.) The intended usefulness of this study is not in making the case for monitoring online social media for intelligence purpose - an effort for which authorities throughout the West need little encouragement. Rather, the report is meant to provide potentially useful pointers in the field of counter- radicalization. Over the past ten years many Western countries have devised more or less extensive strategies aimed at preventing individuals from embracing radical ideas or de- radicalizing (or favoring the disengagement) of committed militants. (Canada is also in the process of establishing its own counter- radicalization strategy.) Radicalization is a highly complex and individualized process, often shaped by a poorly understood interaction of structural and personal factors. It is no surprise then that counter-radicalization initiatives are equally complex. Even among the seven subjects in this project there are only limited commonalities in terms of interests and views. While all seven subjects share a common background, based on the evidence of their online activities, their interests, views and approaches remain highly diverse. Some are focused mostly on religion; others are more interested in political issues. Some immediately adopt a jihadist mindset; others seem to undergo a long radicalizing trajectory. Given this diversity, it becomes obvious that any counter- radicalization needs to be tailored to the specifics of the case. Flexibility is the name of the game. Another key finding is that, at least in the beginning of their trajectories, the individuals studied here are all avid seekers of knowledge and information on religion. All refer to religious concepts and frames throughout their posts. Jihadism is a complex ideology that mixes religion and politics. But this study confirms the importance of its religious aspect for many of those who embrace violence - a fact some studies have dismissed. Any counter-radicalization effort, while not ignoring other aspects, should take into consideration the centrality of religious issues for those embracing jihadism. While for legal, political and cultural reasons it might be difficult to replicate in the West some of the religion-based counter- radicalization efforts adopted in countries such as Saudi Arabia or Singapore, the religious aspect should take a central role. The study also shows that those interested in religion are extremely inquisitive during the first stages of their radicalization trajectories. In the first months or even years of their posting life, in fact, these individuals constantly engage with fellow posters for sources and opinions on religious matters. They seem to be constantly searching for validation of their opinions. Over time, this openness seemed to slowly decrease, and by the end of the posting trajectory, there are only limited traces of questions. In the late stages, instead of questions, statements appear, often filled with confident pronouncements of their own knowledge. This attitude provides an enormous opportunity for counter- radicalization. It is arguable that it is in this phase that any kind of intervention might be more likely to succeed.

Details: Ottawa: The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, 2015. 75p.

Source: Internet Resource: NPSIA Working Paper Series: Working Paper No. 03, 2015: Accessed February 26, 2016 at: http://carleton.ca/npsia/wp-content/uploads/No.-03-Terrorist-Chatter.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: International

URL: http://carleton.ca/npsia/wp-content/uploads/No.-03-Terrorist-Chatter.pdf

Shelf Number: 137979

Keywords:
Internet
Jihadism
Online Communications
Radicalization
Social Media
Terrorism
Terrorists

Author: Lee, Murray

Title: Sexting among young people: Perceptions and practices

Summary: The rapid development and adoption of online digital technologies has had a profound effect on the way young people conduct their social relationships. The emergence of sexting, or the distribution of sexually explicit photos and videos, has gained widespread attention and raised moral concerns. However, there remains little policy-relevant research on the prevalence of sexting and its impact on young people. This study provides a valuable contribution to the evidence base. In a survey of over 2,000 respondents, almost half reported having sent a sexual picture or video of themselves to another party, while two-thirds had received a sexual image. Sexting was prevalent among all age groups, with 13 to 15 year olds particularly likely to receive sexual images. Sexting was prominent among homosexual and bisexual respondents. Most sexting occurred between partners in committed relationships. The study found very little evidence of peer pressure or coercion to engage in sexting. Rather, young people reported engaging in the practice as a consensual and enjoyable part of their intimate relationships. The paper considers the implications of this for legal and policy responses to sexting.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p.

Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 508: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi508.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi508.pdf

Shelf Number: 138009

Keywords:
Child Pornography
Child Sexual Abuse
Child Sexual exploitation
Online Communications
Sexting
Social Media

Author: Schmid, Alex P.

Title: Challenging the Narrative of the "Islamic State"

Summary: ISIS has brought terrorist propaganda to a new level, targeting its main audiences in nearly two dozen languages with up to 90,000 tweets every day. Governments have generally been at a loss as how to counter the ISIS narrative with persuasive counter-arguments to reduce its attraction for rebellious Muslim youths in Western diasporas and Muslim-majority countries. At the core of ISIS' narrative are themes familiar to most Muslims. ISIS has appropriated and instrumentalised them for its main purpose: to expand the Caliphate proclaimed in mid-2014. In this Research Paper, Dr. Alex Schmid identifies a dozen narrative themes of ISIS and discusses them from theological, historical and other angles in an attempt to show vulnerabilities and point the way towards developing convincing counter-arguments. While the potential of this approach is demonstrated, Dr. Schmid argues that a concerted and systematic approach, based on synergetic, inter-disciplinary teamwork, is required to develop successful counter-narratives and that these need to be tested on audiences with a cultural affinity to ISIS main target groups before being utilised by credible Muslim voices who wish to engage terrorist ideologues and their potential followers with rational and faith-based arguments. The Research Paper concludes with the observation that developing counter-narratives, while necessary, is not enough. It is even more necessary to develop credible alternative narratives - narratives that can give a new sense of purpose, meaning and hope to those who feel that they have no future in their and our societies.

Details: The Hague: International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, 2015. 21p.

Source: Internet Resource: ICCT Research Paper: Accessed March 10, 2016 at: http://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ICCT-Schmid-Challenging-the-Narrative-of-the-Islamic-State-June2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: International

URL: http://icct.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ICCT-Schmid-Challenging-the-Narrative-of-the-Islamic-State-June2015.pdf

Shelf Number: 138159

Keywords:
Counter-Terrorism
Extremist Groups
Islamic State
Online Communications
Radical Groups
Religious Extremism
Social Media
Violent Extremism

Author: Mitchell, Kimberly J.

Title: Trends in Unwanted Sexual Solicitations: 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, NH: University of New Hampshire, Crimes Against Children Research Center, 2014. 10p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 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: 138185

Keywords:
Child Pornography
Child Sexual Exploitation
Internet Communications
Internet Safety
Online Communications
Sexting
Social Media
Social Networks

Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Title: Smartphone Data: Information and Issues Regarding Surreptitious Tracking Apps That Can Facilitate Stalking

Summary: GAO found that the majority of the reviewed websites for smartphone tracking applications (apps) marketed their products to parents or employers to track the location of their children or employees, respectively, or to monitor them in other ways, such as intercepting their smartphone communications. Several tracking apps were marketed to individuals for the purpose of tracking or intercepting the communications of an intimate partner to determine if that partner was cheating. About one-third of the websites marketed their tracking apps as surreptitious, specifically to track the location and intercept the smartphone communications of children, employees, or intimate partners without their knowledge or consent. The key concerns of the stakeholders with whom GAO spoke-including domestic violence groups, privacy groups, and academics-were questions about: (1) the applicability of current federal laws to the manufacture, sale, and use of surreptitious tracking apps; (2) the limited enforcement of current laws; and (3) the need for additional education about tracking apps. GAO found that some federal laws apply or potentially apply to smartphone tracking apps, particularly those that surreptitiously intercept communications such as e-mails or texts, but may not apply to some instances involving surreptitiously tracking location. Statutes that may be applicable to surreptitious tracking apps, depending on the circumstances of their sale or use, are statutes related to wiretapping, unfair or deceptive trade practices, computer fraud, and stalking. Stakeholders also expressed concerns over what they perceived to be limited enforcement of laws related to tracking apps and stalking. Some of these stakeholders believed it was important to prosecute companies that manufacture surreptitious tracking apps and market them for the purpose of spying. Domestic violence groups stated that additional education of law enforcement officials and consumers about how to protect against, detect, and remove tracking apps is needed. The federal government has undertaken educational, enforcement, and legislative efforts to protect individuals from the use of surreptitious tracking apps, but stakeholders differed over whether current federal laws need to be strengthened to combat stalking. Educational efforts by the Department of Justice (DOJ) have included funding for the Stalking Resource Center, which trains law enforcement officers, victim service professionals, policymakers, and researchers on the use of technology in stalking. With regard to enforcement, DOJ has prosecuted a manufacturer and an individual under the federal wiretap statute for the manufacture or use of a surreptitious tracking app. Some stakeholders believed the federal wiretap statute should be amended to explicitly include the interception of location data and DOJ has proposed amending the statute to allow for the forfeiture of proceeds from the sale of smartphone tracking apps and to make the sale of such apps a predicate offense for money laundering. Stakeholders differed in their opinions on the applicability and strengths of the relevant federal laws and the need for legislative action. Some industry stakeholders were concerned that legislative actions could be overly broad and harm legitimate uses of tracking apps. However, stakeholders generally agreed that location data can be highly personal information and are deserving of privacy protections.

Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2016. 43p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2016 at: http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/676738.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/676738.pdf

Shelf Number: 139047

Keywords:
Domestic Violence
Online Communications
Smartphones
Stalking
Violence Against Women

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 Violence
Internet Crimes
Intimate Partner Violence
Online Communications
Online Victimization
Social 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 Crimes
Cyberstalking
Online Communications
Online Harassment
Online victimization
Social Media

Author: Finklea, Kristin

Title: Dark Web: Updated

Summary: The layers of the Internet go far beyond the surface content that many can easily access in their daily searches. The other content is that of the Deep Web, content that has not been indexed by traditional search engines such as Google. The furthest corners of the Deep Web, segments known as the Dark Web, contain content that has been intentionally concealed. The Dark Web may be used for legitimate purposes as well as to conceal criminal or otherwise malicious activities. It is the exploitation of the Dark Web for illegal practices that has garnered the interest of officials and policymakers. Individuals can access the Dark Web by using special software such as Tor (short for The Onion Router). Tor relies upon a network of volunteer computers to route users’ web traffic through a series of other users’ computers such that the traffic cannot be traced to the original user. Some developers have created tools—such as Tor2web—that may allow individuals access to Torhosted content without downloading and installing the Tor software, though accessing the Dark Web through these means does not anonymize activity. Once on the Dark Web, users often navigate it through directories such as the “Hidden Wiki,” which organizes sites by category, similar to Wikipedia. Individuals can also search the Dark Web with search engines, which may be broad, searching across the Deep Web, or more specific, searching for contraband like illicit drugs, guns, or counterfeit money. While on the Dark Web, individuals may communicate through means such as secure email, web chats, or personal messaging hosted on Tor. Though tools such as Tor aim to anonymize content and activity, researchers and security experts are constantly developing means by which certain hidden services or individuals could be identified or “deanonymized.” Anonymizing services such as Tor have been used for legal and illegal activities ranging from maintaining privacy to selling illegal goods—mainly purchased with Bitcoin or other digital currencies. They may be used to circumvent censorship, access blocked content, or maintain the privacy of sensitive communications or business plans. However, a range of malicious actors, from criminals to terrorists to state-sponsored spies, can also leverage cyberspace and the Dark Web can serve as a forum for conversation, coordination, and action. It is unclear how much of the Dark Web is dedicated to serving a particular illicit market at any one time, and, because of the anonymity of services such as Tor, it is even further unclear how much traffic is actually flowing to any given site. Just as criminals can rely upon the anonymity of the Dark Web, so too can the law enforcement, military, and intelligence communities. They may, for example, use it to conduct online surveillance and sting operations and to maintain anonymous tip lines. Anonymity in the Dark Web can be used to shield officials from identification and hacking by adversaries. It can also be used to conduct a clandestine or covert computer network operation such as taking down a website or a denial of service attack, or to intercept communications. Reportedly, officials are continuously working on expanding techniques to deanonymize activity on the Dark Web and identify malicious actors online.

Details: Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2017. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: R44101: Accessed March 17, 2017 at: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44101.pdf

Shelf Number: 144490

Keywords:
Computer Crime
Dark Web
Illegal Behavior
Illicit Goods
Internet Crime
Online Communications

Author: Leontiadis, Nektarios

Title: Structuring Disincentives for Online Criminals

Summary: This thesis considers the structural characteristics of online criminal networks from a technical and an economic perspective. Through large-scale measurements, we empirically describe some salient elements of the online criminal infrastructures, and we derive economic models characterizing the associated monetization paths enabling criminal profitability. This analysis reveals the existence of structural choke points: components of online criminal operations being limited in number, and critical for the operations' profitability. Consequently, interventions targeting such components can reduce the opportunities and incentives to engage in online crime through an increase in criminal operational costs, and in the risk of apprehension. We define a methodology describing the process of distilling the knowledge gained from the empirical measurements on the criminal infrastructures towards identifying and evaluating appropriate countermeasures. We argue that countermeasures, as defined in the context of situational crime prevention, can be effective for a long-term reduction in the occurrence of online crime.

Details: Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University, 2014. 369p.

Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: http://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1454&context=dissertations

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1454&context=dissertations

Shelf Number: 144784

Keywords:
Computer Crimes
Criminal Networks
Internet Crimes
Online Communications

Author: Latonero, Mark

Title: Technology and Labor Trafficking in a Network Society. General Overview, Emerging Innovations, and Philippines Case Study

Summary: While interviewing survivors of labor trafficking for this report, researchers heard from a young woman in the Philippines who applied for domestic work in the Middle East. She recounted the way her friend, already working abroad, had called and sent texts of encouragement and eventually put her in touch with a recruiter. She was promised that her documents would be arranged with an employer before her flight to begin work. Upon her departure, the recruiter said that plans had changed. She was told her work papers and airline ticket would be issued in Malaysia. The woman was put on a boat and spent over a week crossing the Sulu Sea from one island to another. She was isolated. Her only means of communication was her mobile phone. Not wanting to worry her family (they had high hopes for her employment), she communicated only with her friend, asking for advice and reassurance. Even if she had been able to access the Internet, it is unclear whether she possessed the skills or knowledge to search for the appropriate online resources. Once in Malaysia, she was put into a van with others. While traveling to an unknown destination they were apprehended by police. Interrogated and imprisoned, the young woman managed to sneak her phone into jail and made one last call. Finally, the friend passed along word of her plight and the Philippine government intervened. After a month in prison she was repatriated and is currently in a rehabilitation shelter in Manila. This report finds that isolation from the technologies and social networks that connect individuals to support and services is an indicator and risk factor for labor trafficking. Stories of isolation are unfortunately common in cases of labor trafficking. What is striking in the case above is the central role played by technology. The woman's mobile device both connects and disconnects her from illegal recruiters, employers, family, friends, social services, and assistance. This speaks to the larger premise of this report - new information and communication technologies (ICT's) have become an integral part of the networks that underpin labor trafficking in the 21st Century. Yet little research exists on the impact of technology in exacerbating or addressing the isolation, fraud, force, and/or coercion so often at the heart of trafficking cases. There is a lack of evidence-based research on any relationship between technology and labor trafficking either within or across national borders. To effectively intervene in labor trafficking, the impact of technology needs to be addressed by policy makers, governments, NGOs, researchers, and the private sector. Throughout the world, the rapid diffusion of technologies, such as social media, mobile devices, and the Internet, is impacting social, economic, and political life at an unprecedented scale. We live in a "network society" where technology and the flow of information are crucial forces of global social change. The network perspective helps us examine labor trafficking in a new way - not only as an economic, regulatory, or legal problem but as an issue driven by the technologies connecting networks of actors. This research report is the first to investigate the relationship between technology and labor trafficking. This project began in early 2014 and was made possible by a grant from Humanity United. The research builds upon the Technology and Human Trafficking Initiative, launched in 2010 at the Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy at the University of Southern California. The evidence gathered and analyzed in this report is based on public documents, websites, interviews with key stakeholders in the US and internationally, and fieldwork in the Philippines. With little previous research on the topic, this study is inherently exploratory. Thus this report's primary goal is to frame technology's impact on labor trafficking and to establish a set of definitions, theories, terms, themes, recommendations, and principles that can guide future research and policy.

Details: Los Angeles: University of Southern California, Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, 2015. 68p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 9, 2018 at: https://communicationleadership.usc.edu/files/2015/10/USC_Tech-and-Labor-Trafficking_Feb2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Philippines

URL: https://communicationleadership.usc.edu/files/2015/10/USC_Tech-and-Labor-Trafficking_Feb2015.pdf

Shelf Number: 149415

Keywords:
Domestic Workers
Forced Labor
Human Trafficking
Labor Trafficking
Mobile Technologies
Mobile Telephones
Online Communications
Social Media
Technology and Crime

Author: Lee, Murray

Title: Sexting and Young People

Summary: Aim This project aimed to investigate the phenomenon of sexting by young people. This under-researched but emergent contemporary legal and social issue was examined through an inter-disciplinary and multi-method framework by asking the question: are the current legal and policy responses to sexting reflective of young peoples' perceptions and practices of sexting? As such, the research had three specific aims: 1. to document young people's perceptions and practices of sexting; 2. to analyse public and media discourse around sexting, and; 3. to examine existing legal frameworks and sanctions around sexting and develop recommendations for an appropriate and effective legislative policy response to the practice by young people. Method The project consisted of a three-stage research plan: 1. quantitative surveys and focus groups with young people regarding their views and experiences of sexting; 2. a media discourse analysis to capture the tenure of public discussion around sexting in Australia, and; 3. an analysis of existing laws and sanctions that apply to sexting in all states and territories in Australia. Results Our results indicate that a significant number of young people have engaged in the sending and receiving of sexually suggestive pictures (sexting). Indeed, 47% of young people surveyed reported engaging in such behaviour. However, both the types of activity and the frequency of the engagement varied dramatically amongst respondents. Furthermore, the vast majority of those who reported sending or receiving sexually suggestive images did so with only a small number of people and most commonly only with those they already had a romantic attachment. Focus group respondents indicated that they did not use the term sexting and saw it as an adult or media construct. Their knowledge about sexting relied heavily on media reports and high school curriculum. A range of motivations for sexting practices (both their own and their peers) were also identified, ranging from experimentation to peer pressure. Respondents tended to perceive that young people - particularly young women - feel pressure to exchange sexual images. On the other hand participants in sexting exchanges were much more likely to judge their behaviour positively, stressing the fun and flirtatious nature of sexting. Focus groups participants' also suggested the importance of an intersectional analysis (age, class and gender) in understanding and engaging with sexting practices, as well as the need to rethink criminal justice responses to sexting. The discourses that young people reported around sexting mirrored the findings of the media analysis, which showed that young peoples' sexting behaviours were an issue of growing concern in the Australian media. Sexting was framed in the media as a risky activity, with potentially far-reaching consequences for young people and their romantic and career prospects, not to mention the potential legal ramifications. Such media reporting has thus promoted a particular image of sexting as an activity that should be avoided by young people, and dealt with seriously by parents, educators, governments and the law. An analysis of the legal framework around sexting suggests that sexting has generally been framed as child pornography and that such offenses significantly outweigh young people's perceptions of the seriousness of most behaviours that might be defined as sexting. In Australian jurisdictions child pornography has a relatively broad definition, extended in recent decades in response to concerns that new technologies are fueling child pornography. In most jurisdictions there is little to legally hinder prosecution (aside from the general requirement of establishing sufficient understanding of wrongfulness on the part of 10 to 14 year olds (presumption of doli incapax), defenses to child pornography offenses for minors in certain situations in Tasmania and Victoria and the Attorney-General's permission being needed before prosecution of an under 18 year old can be commenced under the Commonwealth Criminal Code). It is therefore legally possible for young people to be prosecuted for child pornography offenses. Despite this it seems that prosecutions for child pornography offenses for sexting are rare in Australia and that discretion is widely used to divert young people from formal proceedings unless there are aggravating factors. Conclusion This project has found that the sending and receiving of sexually suggestive pictures by young people can have serious consequences. As well as the potential legal consequences for young people who take and/or circulate such images, there are a number of personal costs that young people engaging in this behaviour may face. These include the embarrassment or humiliation resulting from the dissemination of images, coercion through the threat of making an image public, the continuation of physical or psychologically abusive behaviours into the digital realm (cyberbullying), and the potential for such images to fall into the hands of pedophiles. More generally sexting can contribute to the reproduction of gendered power relations and double standards. Such negative consequences are reinforced by much of the media discourse on sexting. Nevertheless, the findings from this project suggest that such outcomes, as reported by young people themselves, are relatively rare. Indeed, the majority of young people, although certainly not all, who engage in sexting do so with a romantic partner in a climate of perceived mutual trust. Even though this trust might be thought of as fragile, the research shows it is not regularly broken. It should be noted that when such trust is broken and a third party is shown the image, it is more likely to occur in-person rather than through digital onsending - although of course this also happens.

Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2015. 86p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1516/53-1112-FinalReport.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: Australia

URL: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1516/53-1112-FinalReport.pdf

Shelf Number: 149968

Keywords:
Child Pornography
Child Sexual Abuse
Child Sexual Exploitation
Online Communications
Sexting
Social Media

Author: Dawson, Justin C.

Title: Strategies to Mitigate the Impact of Electronic Communication and Electronic Devices on the Right to a Fair Trial

Summary: he proliferation of electronic communication and electronic devices throughout modern society presents new challenges to the judicial system in protecting the right to a fair trial. Electronic communication, including texts, emails, blogs, social network posts, and other information accessed through the Internet, provides opportunities to expose confidential witnesses or informants, intimidate witnesses and victims from testifying, and bias jurors. Electronic devices can be used to record an image of a witness, identify that witness and expose him or her on the Internet, or communicate with a juror in an attempt to influence the outcome of a case. Jurors may also compromise their own independence by using electronic devices to access or share information about trial proceedings before the case is resolved. Court practices to protect the right to a fair trial have not kept pace with rapidly evolving electronic communication and devices, and traditional approaches to identify and protect against witness intimidation and to preserve juror impartiality are likely insufficient in the face of their near universal use, which facilitates access to information about nearly anything and anyone. On behalf of the National Institute of Justice, the Priority Criminal Justice Needs Initiative convened a panel, including judges, lawyers, educators, and other experts, to identify ways that electronic communication can impact the right to a fair trial and to recommend strategies to protect witnesses from intimidation and jurors from compromising their independence. The panel proceedings and recommendations are presented in this report. Key Findings Judges Should Have Authority to Use Their Own Discretion to Find Solutions for Their Courtrooms Legislation may help mitigate some of the problems introduced by electronic communication, but judges need discretion in their own courtrooms. Judges and attorneys need flexibility in engaging with jurors, who are used to communicating electronically throughout the day but must be limited during trial proceedings. Electronic Device Bans in the Courtroom Are Viewed as Effective in Mitigating Witness Intimidation However, jury sequestration to minimize or eliminate misconduct with electronic communication is considered to be generally impractical and counterproductive. More Public Education Would Clarify the Importance of Due Process and How Electronic and Social Media Communication May Violate the Constitutional Rights of Defendants and Other Parties to a Case Continuing education is also needed for the judiciary and court practitioners on evolving modes of electronic communication. Recommendations Undertake fundamental research on how the exploding volume of electronic data could affect the protection of rights. Develop methods to better assess the effect on the judicial process of jurors' "outside research" during trials. Identify approaches both to limit juror use of mobile devices to do "outside research" during trials and to educate jurors on this issue. Develop methods to monitor juror and defendant social media activity, given concerns about the use of social media to influence judicial processes.

Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2018. 19p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2155.html

Year: 2018

Country: United States

URL: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2155.html

Shelf Number: 150365

Keywords:
Internet
Juries
Online Communications
Social Media
Trials

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 Harm
Internet
Online Communications
Online Victimization
Social Media

Rutgers - School of Law, Newark

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