Emerging technologies and cyber-crime: strategies for mitigating cyber-crime and misinformation on social media and cyber systems

Abstract

Currently, numerous institutions, organisations, and governments globally have issues associated with rising technological crimes and misinformation within cyber systems, which jeopardise societal faith in these entities. A cyber-system is a framework that employs cyberspace and encompasses information infrastructures, along with individuals and other entities engaged in the system's business operations and activities. Social media platforms facilitate communication, commercial transactions, and various lucrative endeavours. Nonetheless, these sites have been utilised by cybercriminals and fraudsters for nefarious activities, including executing assaults on their targets and disseminating misinformation. This article examines the assessment of developing technological crimes on social media platforms and techniques for mitigating disinformation in cyber networks. A mixed-method approach was employed for data collecting, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative techniques, with unstructured interviews and surveys. The findings indicated that disinformation has adversely affected multiple sectors, including health, social, security, and education. Conspiracy theorists have utilised cyber systems and social media platforms to propagate misinformation, while fraudsters and cybercriminals have exploited these mediums to victimise individuals. Recommendations encompass the necessity for governmental regulation of online activities, the education of cyber system and social media users to exercise caution regarding their online conduct, the implementation of robust cyber policies and legislation, the verification and authentication of information prior to dissemination, the training and retraining of criminal justice officials, and the engagement of cyber law enforcement to scrutinise messages and information traversing cyber systems and social media platforms. tem. Social media platforms are used for communication, business transactions, and other profitable initiatives. However, these platforms have also been exploited by cyber criminals and fraudsters for malicious activities, such as launching attacks on their targets and spreading false information. This paper focuses on evaluating emerging technology crimes on social media platforms and strategies for reducing misinformation on cyber systems. A mixed method was used for data collection, including qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as unstructured interviews and questionnaires. The findings revealed that misinformation has had negative impacts on various sectors including health, social, security, and education. Cyber systems and social media platforms have been used by conspiracy theorists to disseminate false information, while fraudsters and cybercriminals have victimized their targets using social media and other cyber systems. Recommendations include the need for government regulation of online activities, educating cyber system and social media users to be cautious about their online activities, implementing effective cyber policies and legislation, verifying and authenticating information before sharing, training and retraining criminal justice officials, and engaging cyber cops to filter messages and information passing through cyber systems and social media platforms.

Keywords: {'name': 'Crime, Law Enforcement, Government, South Africa, Policymaking, Social Disorganised Theory'}

Authors & affiliations

Chiji Longinus Ezeji
Affiliation not supplied

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