Prompt: How does cyber technology impact interactions between offenders and victims?

Cyber technology has completely changed how offenders commit crimes and how people get victimized. The dawn of the digital age bred new crimes, but in some cases, certain crimes were merely moved online. For example, ransomware contains all the fundamental aspects of a ransom. Holding humans or valuables hostage, a requirement of payment, promise of safe release of victims are key in a ransom. Ransomware is similar, holding a victim’s data against their will, with a request of payment, usually in a type of cryptocurrency, with the promise that the user’s data will be unencrypted. Entirely new methods of intruding on a person’s life in the digital space have arisen though, like adware. Adware infects a user’s device and spams the device with ads. Advertising has always been a part of society, but with adware, malicious ads can appear on private machines without permission. Robbery has also been ported onto the digital space. Robbery would usually involve the physical removal of something valuable from an individual or an institution. This would usually be countered by securing these valuables in safe places, such as banks or vaults. With cyberspace, hackers do not need to be on-site to steal money, personal information, or other sensitive information. In many cases, the hackers remain undetected until after the robbery is committed. One of the most glaring impacts though has been the ability for stalkers and abusers to use the internet to “keep tabs” on their victims. With the global reach of the internet, cyber stalkers can be anywhere, at any time, and track unsuspecting victims. On top of this, stalkers can utilize social media to remain anonymous. Building upon anonymity, cyber harassers can also use social media to run “harassment campaigns”. The internet has removed the human element of social interaction. This removal lends individuals towards behaviors and actions they wouldn’t normally commit. Cyber harassers will have hundreds or in some extreme cases, thousands of users to “dogpile” a victim, leaving them helpless and distraught. Cyber technology has greatly changed the dynamic of cybercriminals and victims.