Marshall Shepherd

CYSE 201S

09/26/2024

Article review # 1: Investigating the Intersection of AI and Cybercrime: Risks, Trends, and Countermeasures

This article review will describe how it relates to social sciences, the questions that were asked to interviewees, types of research methods used, and the types of data analysis that were used. The concerns for marginalized groups and overall contributions to society will be covered, as well.

From an ethics standpoint, this article describes how guardianship in social media is an effective way to reduce cybercrime. It has been shown that when influencers promote safe internet practices and guardianship, their followers tend to accept and not engage in risky behaviors as much. On a scholarship level, it generated information on ways to increase guardianship and teach others how to protect themselves from cybercrime.

                The study’s questions include, how is the malicious use of AI conducted on the dark and clear web and the mechanisms for it’s transfer between the two; What is the role of media dissemination in the spread of AI-facilitated cybercrime; and how can individuals protect themselves using cyber hygiene against AI based threats.

                The research methods used were qualitative and quantitative. The quantitative research investigated AI-generated prompts and the discussion of these prompts in forums, while the qualitative research gave information on the legal, technical and policy solutions required to address data from the quantitative research. The quantitative research included TOR (The Onion Router), and online forums on both the dark and clear web. The qualitative research method used was semi-structured interviews with six professionals in the cybercrime, cybersecurity and criminal justice fields. The interviews spanned from September to December of 2023, and lasted about forty-five minutes via virtual meetings and written statements. The questions were structured in a manner that was designed to produce objective answers.

                Analysis and data outline were applied using Choi’s (2008) Cyber Routine Activities Theory (RAT). Cyber RAT is the cyber version of Cohen & Felson’s theory (Cohen & Felson, 1979) but extends the theory to include how online victimization is exacerbated by online anonymity, easy access of the internet and lack of guardianship. Interview questions were based on Cyber RAT and included what the media might not cover about AI and how people can protect themselves;  how AI is perceived and if there should be stricter regulations and how to implement them; how the interviewees perceive the changing psychological opinions towards the utilization of AI and how to determine regulations; and how to minimize AI threats coming from the dark web onto the clear web and how to address victimization effectively. The interviewees answers were entered into a database, coded to find keywords and recurring themes, and then re-analyzed.

                The interviews of crime experts provided an in-depth look at potential AI risks and allowing the interviewers to identify ways to implement successful guardianship and increasing awareness to people more likely to fall victim to cybercrime. An example of a marginalized group of people is politicians such as Barack Obama, who has had speeches modified to deep-fakes to sway people’s opinions.

                In all, the basis of the data collected points to individual online hygiene and the importance of guardianship due to how broad and accessible the internet is to not only victims, but also cybercriminals. More research should be conducted to collect a broader range of opinions and a more precise sampling technique. It is up to the professionals of the cyberworld to keep up with AI advancement and ways to protect and provide guardianship to others.