- How should we approach the development of cyber-policy and -infrastructure given the “short arm” of predictive knowledge?
The United States seems to live in a very reactive, as opposed to proactive, world. The government identifies many threats but only funds or addresses ones which are deemed credible and more probable than possible. Though there are many possible threats, we must focus on which ones are probable because we are unable to address everything due to manning, funding, resources, and more, or the lack of. However, in an evolving technological world, certain threats can go from possible to probable in an instant. It is for this reason, that threats must be constantly addressed and evaluated because the policy of yesterday may not cover the threats of today. Due to the inability to predict events and future threats, it is incumbent to write policy in “the now” and the foreseeable future which is probable. At the same time, this policy must be written so that it can easily be altered to adapt to the evolving technology and emerging threats.
2. How does cyber technology impact interactions between offenders and victims?
Cyber technology separates victims and offenders and enables more serious crimes to occur without guilt. Dave Grossman wrote a book called “On Killing.” In this book he discusses the different mental impacts of killing in war and how distance enables the killer to separate themselves from their acts. Essentially, someone who kills in hand-to-hand combat will have more serous mental distress than a pilot who dropped a bomb. Colonel Grossman attributes this impact to the distance of the killer and their ability to separate themselves from their act. This mentality would apply to cyber crimes as well, especially in bullying. A person who bullies in the physical form may feel remorse after seeing their impacts on a person. However, if the offender is separated through a screen and never witnesses the damage that they cause, they will not have the same remorse and will continue to bully.