Effects Of Social Media On The Cybercrime and Cyberbullying

The Internet is a worldwide electronic computer network that connects people and information ( Fettwis & Alamouti 2014, P140-145 ). However, every technology has its advantages and disadvantages. The Internet has several advantages, but it is considered to have some drawbacks. Social Media is the latest form of media available to the audience of varied groups, ages, and classe (Kasaeian et al. 2017, P778-791). However, on the other side, it is an encroachment to someone’s privacy which can lead to a different type of illegal activities by using information such as name, location, and email addresses.

The anonymity over the internet and the jurisdictional issues has given rise to cyber crimes where crime is committed with the aid assistance of a computer. This paper attempts to focus on the development of the technology, forms of social networks, different cybercrimes committed, and categories of cybercrimes.

Today email and websites are a means of communication for everyone (Stojonoic & Beaujean 2016, P59-386) It facilitates almost instant exchange and dissemination of data, image, and variety of material.

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It is inclusive of both educational and helpful material but undesirable information also. Cybercrime generally refers to criminal activity where a computer or network is the source, tool, and Target poor place of a crime. Cybercrime is a criminal activity involving an information technology infrastructure, including illegal access, illegal interception, data interference, system interference, misuse of devices, and electronic fraud ( Herley 2014, P64-71) Cybercrime causes a breach of rules of law and counterbalanced by the sanction of the state.

The development of information technology has led to changes in the field of information technology.

Through the internet, technology has led to change into the pattern of community interaction in the area of mass media that gave birth to a new press called social media such as Facebook, Twitter Instagram, and WhatsApp. These platforms have allowed their users to express themselves without restrictions which are becoming a significant challenge as it may infringe the fundamental rights of privacy of human being.

Social media is as an internet-based application group building on the foundation of ideology and technology, and which enables the creation and exchange of user-generated ( Mutanana 2016, p73-78). Further, the study describes that internet technology brings people to a new civilization, where there is a shift in the reality of life activity to the virtual called cyberspace. Social media includes the following forms;

The first form is that Social network is a network that offers services that allow the user to connect with other people of similar interests and background ( Chumento et al. 2018, P36 . Usually these consist of a profile, various ways to interact with other users, ability setup group. The most popular amongst them are Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Linked-In and Messenger. The second form is Bookmarking sites; this form offers services that allow the user to save, organize, and manage links to various websites and resources around the internet ( MCccay-Peet & Quan-Haase 2017,P23-26 ). Most will enable users to tag links to make them easy to search and share. The third form is Media sharing; this offer services that will enable the user to upload and share various media such as pictures and videos. ( Bayer et al. 2016, P956-977). Most services have additional social features such as profile, commenting such as YouTube. The fourth form is Social news; this offer services that allow people to post various news items or links to outside articles and then allows its users to vote on the issues. The voting is the core social aspect as the items that get the most votes are displayed the most prominently. The most popular one is Digg and Reddit.

The rise and evolution of social media have changed the definition of communication and social interaction. Different social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp, has brought revolutionary change; that is, the same platforms used for personal and professional purposes has loopholes and drawbacks. This drawback includes identity theft which is a significant threat to many social media users, as millions of online users use their personal information to get registered with one or more social media platforms. Such kind of vast information makes such users easy target for identity theft. One form of violence that is often experienced by teenagers in cyberspace is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a term used when a child or teenager gets ill-treated like being humiliated, threatened, tortured, or targeted by another child or teen using internet technology, digital technology, or mobile technology ( Patchin & Hinguja 2015, P69-74). In some cases, cyberbullying has led to serious matters like suicide.

There are three categories of cybercrimes, namely crime against persons, property, and government ( Miquelon-Weismann 2017,P171-204 ). In the category for cybercrime against persons includes harassment, misconduct known as 'cyberstalking’. This type of evil represents a real social problem that is speedily increasing. Cyberstalking is a crime in which the harasser uses electronic communication or mediums of the Internet (instant messages, e-mail, cell phones or chat rooms) to threten, sexually or emotionally harass, even to misinform the victim( Short et al. 2015, P23-37). The words must be unsolicited, and usually, those actions take place over a long period. Those messages aim to create fear for their victim. Most of the victims are regular people rather than famous and wealthy. Moreover, they are females, with age between 18 and 30. Stalking as a crime, not in favor of young people may report for the prominent occurrence of cyberstalking victims inside universities.

The second category is stalking against the property, which includes crimes such as computer vandalism, the transmission of harmful programs, and destruction of other’s property through the Internet. ( Tokunaga & Aune 2017, P1451-1475) A significant example of such a crime would be hacking. Hacking or Cracking is a widespread cybercrime committed nowadays. Hacker is 'a term for both those who write code and those who exploit it.' Hackers make use of the vulnerability of victims’ computers to steal valuable information and destroy data. A cracker is a hacker with criminal intention; he can sabotage or damage computers, take information located on locked computers, and cause disruption to the networks for personal or political motives. Hackers can install programs on victim’s systems without their knowledge, stealing personal or credit card information, passwords. They can also hack essential data of companies to get secret information about their plans.

The third and most serious cybercrime category is the crime against government. Because society became so dependent on the Internet and computer systems, the threat of cyber terrorism and the exploitation of the Internet for terrorist objectives are quite troubling. ( Dhillion & Smith 2019, P137-158) This danger is not about to be neither denied nor unnoticed. The Internet is perhaps not a substitute for face-to-face communication, but, in a world where the personality rises above politics, individuals no longer do things together or performing public roles; for that reason, they are not capable of finding society and the confidence (privacy) it gives.

Globalization has created crime opportunities across cultures and authority by enlarging the reach of criminals at a global level. As a consequence, globalization have made criminals’ imagination more full, cybercrimes being, then, a globalized phenomenon. Since the Internet and the abuse of information have become available, not only experts but also terrorist organizations take advantage of gathered data. Usually, a terrorist receives a long-time perspective; to accomplish his objects, he pursues a fundamental schedule when committing attacks. Mostly, terrorists launch attacks via the Internet; thus, they use the network to communicate with the public or with each other. This fact is quite important as is it the way to explain the motivations and causes for terrorists’ battle, to recruit new members and train them or to distribute pressure and misinformation.

The growing use of social media, on the one hand, provides benefits to its users, but on the other hand will have a negative impact if not addressed wisely by users, especially among adolescents who are still vulnerable to adverse effects of the use of social media. Effects of social media include cyber terrorism and the exploitation of the Internet. Another impact on the development of social media is Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying done by teenagers in social media is increasingly worrying. Cope with Cyberbullying in social media; it is necessary to take preventive action through legal counseling and to plant moral values to the students. Social media is like a double-edged knife on one side has many benefits, but on the other hand if not used wisely will bring up legal issues.

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