South African Information and Communication Technologies

By David Simms, Senior Contributor

The Global Institute for Cyber Safety and Standards

It has been suggested that ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) should be handled differently in different countries, this most in particular when referring to South Africa. Spokespeople claim that though there exists an extreme wealth polarisation in the country, access to ICTs are still prevalent everywhere and becoming more-so exponentially. In conjunction with ubiquitous access, South Africa is experiencing high rates of gender-based violence already prevalent in the country. This is thought to be exacerbating cyber-bullying occurrences. Quantitatively, the risky practice of sexting has escalated considerably more in South Africa than in other countries where gender-based violence is less common. Corporal punishment is still widely used throughout the country and is subject to some controversy. Speculation reveals this is having a direct effect on young people’s propensity toward cyber-harassment and like bullying crimes.

Throughout the European Union, Australia, and North American countries, a united system would prove effective but South Africa may well be one country, summarising its unique set of cultural differences, that may require novel and specifically tailored laws to address the growing cyber problem there. The one commonality with any other country though, is the timing and swiftness of action as nowhere and for no reason should victims continue to be victimised or pursued to suicide.

By Carolyn Davies, Contributing Content Blogger

I thought this was well worthy of sharing. This video clip about cyberbullying was posted nearly 9 years ago but it's still as pertinent and poignant today as it was then if not more. Please watch and share. This video was created in 2006 but that was still at a time cyber hate and abuse was just beginning. Look at the technology in this video in the outdated computers and old mobile phones and consider how far the cyber world has come and how all the more deadly and dangerous it is today. Then give ponderance to how deadly and dangerous it will be 9 years from now if nothing is done and the internet continues with no global safety policies and protocol standards. 

The question of online behaviours.

By Abigail Clarke: Contributing Content Blogger

I've not been sure what to write about as of late but today thought of the question present when it comes to online behaviours. In this day and age of cyber technology, it's true children are having to deal with a new world even adults are ill equipped to handle.  I did a bit of reading and learned Richard J. Hazler, a professor of counseling education at Penn State University in America stated that children, for the most part, are unable to comprehend the damage their behavioural actions online can cause in the lives of others offline. He said that when it comes to bullying and its consequences, kids simply haven’t fully developed emotionally and that young people behave in such ways because that part of the brain controlling cognitive decision-making is not physiologically completely formed. There does seem to be some truth to this, but I thought it seems to be sidestepping the looming question that if this is indeed the case, why then do we see the same behaviours in adults online?

Either there are many more adults with underdeveloped emotional brains or it is something more fundamental that supersedes emotional development. I'm predisposed to ponder the latter.  Kids can be unusually cruel to one another and it does tie in to the fact that they do not possess the power of empathy, but because adults can be equally if not more vicious when in an online environment, it might have more to do with the detachment factor.  The inability to see direct damage.  In the perspective of many, their ventings are lost in cyber space, falling on deaf ears.  Because they do not see a direct response or reaction, they assume that their remarks don’t have the same effect as if in person. This then doesn’t have a thing to do with emotional development than a lack of understanding of technology.

What Mr. Hazler stated seems to almost allow young people an excuse to behave in these detestable ways.  Should we not be refusing to allow the making of excuses to explain away online abusive behaviours? One does not need to be emotionally developed to be kind to others or to know it is the appropriate course. Do they? I think not.

A Global Network to Fight a Global Problem

By David Simms, Senior Contributor

There is an organisation known as the Child Helpline International (CHI) who is doing much great work. CHI is conducting ongoing development and support of toll-free child helplines worldwide and uses data to detect inconsistencies and weaknesses in existing child protection systems. This organisation was started in India some 25 years ago and was originally known as Childline India.   Their approach was to have volunteers speak on the phone directly to children in need and keep logs of all calls.  From there it evolved into a global network. Now, helplines around the world can join under the umbrella of CHI as long as they meet basic criteria. 

At present there are 127 countries involved. In the 25 years CHI has been in operation, cyberbullying and harassment has become more of a central problem they deal with on a daily basis. This is a very tangible indication that the issue of cyberbullying is significantly supplanting the crisis’ youth face in the modern age. It is pleasing to see that CHI is pioneering such a service to young people around the globe. Their work is very similar to ours here at the Global Institute however our focus is expanded to help adults facing the destruction in their lives due to cyber harassment. We are also aligned with the modes of communication typically used in this day and age.  It is of utmost importance that we bond together in our fight and that we adapt to changing technologies. 

As the world evolves in its communications it is our policy that, so too must we. In order to be effective it is our philosophy the battle must be fought where these crimes are taking place which is primarily through social media sites that are now accessed more by smartphone or ipads.

Post Code Lottery in the UK?

By David Simms, Senior Contributor

In the United Kingdom, there have been many reports suggesting that the authorities do not crack down equally on cyber-crime depending on the region. The large disparity in support and interest taken by law enforcement has led many citizens to begin calling the situation a ‘post-code lottery’ despite clear national ordinances addressing the issue for all communities. The general consensus seems to be that the police are not interested at all in cases of online harassment. Maybe this is because, with the current state of the system, cyber cases are still very difficult to prosecute.

Law enforcement in different countries has been dealing with crime in a traditional sense for so long it appears some are slipping behind the times.  Along with development of new technologies, there has been a social evolution taking place at an exponential rate.  This means that crimes and the way they are committed, are changing faster than society or law enforcement can deal with effectively. When the nature of crime changes as it has with the growth of the internet, law enforcement must accommodate accordingly. The fact is, law enforcement has the means to identify, apprehend and prosecute cyber offenders but they are still operating to a large degree within a system that is outdated. It is also a fact that officials in current decision-making positions are from an older generation accustomed to dealing with things a particular way. This can be a source of hindrance and constraint for officers on the ground. 

We live in a world where technology can easily become obsolete within 6 months so it critical that our protectors stay current and equipped with the latest technology available but just as importantly, that they are educated and knowledgeable about the way criminals think in today’s world.