cyber crime

• The arrival of new types of media is often met with a moral panic.

  For example, horror comics, cinema, television, videos and computer games have all been accused of undermining public morality and corrupting the young. 
• Thomas and loader 


  define cyber crime as computer mediated activities that are illegal or considered illicit and that are conducted through global electronic networks
• jewkes

  • the internet creates opportunities to commit:
  • conventional crimes - fraud
  • new crimes - software piracy
• wall 


  identifies 4 categories of cybercrime

  1. cyber-trespass - hacking, spreading viruses
  2. cyber-deception and theft - identity theft, phishing, illegal downloading
  3. cyber-pornography - porn involving minors
  4. cyber-violence - cyber-stalking, bullying, hate crimes
• global cyber crime

  • crimes committed online in other countries
  • difficult to police due to large scale of internet
  • problems with jurisdiction - which country should prosecute
• jewkes

  • ICT allows for surveillance though use of CCTV, electronic databases, digital fingerprinting
  • installation of listening devices called ‘carnivores’ at Internet service providers to monitor email traffic.