How does cyber technology impact interactions between offenders and victims?

With the mass advancements in technology and technology systems and the integration of social media applications and websites, the victim/offender relationship has changed in several ways. Before the development of technology and computers, most offenses such as bullying and sexual harassment were done in person, but in today’s day and age, more and more of these types of crimes are being committed over the internet as well as in person. On the internet, offenders are able to hide their identity and intentions from their victims, making it hard to catch offenders. They’re also capable of creating fake profiles in an attempt to lure and coerce underage users into sending nude photos or videos. This makes it much easier for offenders to partake in illegal activities such as cyberbullying, as it’s much easier to degrade and harass someone from behind a computer screen and without having to include any legitimate form of identity. This can also make it difficult to hold cyberbullying offenders accountable for their actions. This puts children at risk of falling victim to these predators, which makes it the parent or guardians overall responsibility to teach their children about online dangers and to monitor their internet activity. The internet also has the dark web which allows for the purchase and distribution of other illegal content such as child pornography. Regarding crimes such as revenge porn, sexual blackmail, and sexting, the stakes are extremely high, as revealing nude photos or videos could be viewed and saved by thousands or millions of people, which could be catastrophic to someone’s identity and career. In conclusion, cyber technology creates the potential for many different forms of crime to be committed, and it’s ultimately up to users to be wary of who they allow to message, add, or follow them on social media applications. It’s also the responsibility of policy makers to push for laws to help combat these cyber issues.