Cybercrime

% of world’s pop now online

66%

Thomas and Loader 2000

• Cybercrime = computer-mediated activities that are illegal/illicit and conducted through global electronic networks

Jewkes 2003

• Internet has increased conventional crime opportunities (e.g. fraud is an old crime but now has new tools) and created new ones (e.g. software piracy is a new crime committed with new tools)

Wall 2001 — 4 categories of cybercrime

1. Cyber trespassing

2. Cyber deception and theft

3. Cyberporn

4. Cyber violence

Wall — cyber trespassing

• Crossing boundaries into someone else’s cyber property, e.g. hacking, sabotage or spreading viruses

Wall — cyber deception and theft

• Phishing, ID theft and intellectual property violations

Wall — cyberporn

• Involving minors

• More opportunities for children to access porn

Wall — cyber violence

• Psychological harm like hate crimes, bullying or cyberstalking

• Also incitation of physical harm

Global cybercrime

• More difficult to police due to:

1. Scale of Internet

2. Limited police resources

3. Jurisdiction

4. Low policy priority as lacks excitement

New ICT and surveillance

• Creates more opportunities for state surveillance and control

Jewkes 2003

• ICT → more routine surveillance

  • E.g. CCTV, electronic databases, digital fingerprinting, smart ID cards, carnivore listening devices