Compared to the per-internet period of history, cyber technology has dramatically altered the interaction between offender and victim because of the increased anonymity between the two groups. Over the internet criminals may defraud, terrorize, and steal from people who they don’t necessarily know, and very well may have never met. They see a name, account credentials, and personal information on their end, but have likely never met their victim before, and may not even live in the same country or on the same continent. They don’t witness the impacts their crime has on their victim’s life, and this anonymity undoubtedly removes much of the guilt a perpetrator may experience when committing a crime. Similarly, victims of cybercrime may know they were defrauded, stolen from, or harassed, but they may not know who did this to them because the thief or could be located anywhere. They may wrongly suspect a former friend or acquaintance as being their victimizer, but the crime committed against them may be from anywhere on Earth with an internet connection. Filing a report with law enforcement may provide details on how they were scammed or stolen from, but the details of who committed the crime may remain unknown to the victim. In cybercrime, the anonymity of the internet has taken the personal, human element out of crime.
     Given the “short arm” of predictive knowledge, the development of cyber-policy and infrastructure should be of public information. Because the occurrence of cybercrime can’t be predicted, individuals should be encouraged to protect themselves: to fully understand the risks that exist and how to reduce their likelihood of becoming victimized. Individuals should also be thoroughly informed of the legal consequences of committing cybercrime to deter future criminal acts. Through public awareness campaigns, public service announcements, and even public-school curriculum, society should know the likelihood and risk of becoming a victim of cybercrime from an early age. Additionally, misconceptions that cyber criminals receive light punishments or little jail time should be dispelled to boost public confidence and discourage would-be perpetrators. As cyber technologies become increasingly ubiquitous in every facet of life, future generations should gain an understanding from an early age of how to protect themselves, their information, and their assets from cyber criminals. Furthermore, inter-state or nation-wide standardization of cybercrime legislation would help the public to further understand what laws are and are not in place to protect them, as well as what consequences face those who break the law online.