Online Cybercrime Against Children

Cybercrime, the most recent and complex form of criminal activity, involves the misuse of computers and the Internet for various illegal purposes. These include cyber pornography, stalking, email bombs, viruses and web jacking. Additionally, criminals exploit the Internet for child abuse, posing a great threat to young individuals. The advancement of technology has opened up new avenues of violence and harm in cyberspace, posing a threat to children and adolescents.7 These are discussed below:

1. Cyberbullying- Cyberbullying refers to the deliberate and persistent use of a computer to harass, harm, embarrass, humiliate or intimidate another person. Bullying using digital platforms such as computers, tablets and cell phones is known as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can occur online via text messages and apps as well as in social media, forums and video games where users can view, interact and share content. This may involve disclosing sensitive or personal information about another person, which may be embarrassing or humiliating. Cyber bullying can often cross the line into illegal or criminal activity. This is one of the common cyber threats faced by children and young people. Although cyber bullying can affect anyone, children become easy victims of cyber bullying due to the limited understanding of cyber threats. When students bully, they usually target those who are perceived to be vulnerable, socially isolated or not aware of social norms. This can happen in person or through technology.

2. Cyber grooming – This is when someone establishes a friendship with a young person over the internet and forces or fools them into engaging in sexual activities. Cyber groomers may use gaming websites, social media, email, chat rooms, instant messaging, etc. by creating a fake account and pretending to be a child or having the same interests as a child.

3. Child pornography- It is the representation of a young person in audio, video or textual form participating in real or simulated explicit sexual behaviour using various means including digital, optical and electronic. It involves using a minor for sexually explicit activities. Another scenario is when a visual depiction is created, altered, or transformed to depict that a minor is having sex. This is nothing but the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors by other children, which has a direct negative impact on the physical and mental health of the children involved.

4. Online gaming- Concerns have been raised in various contexts about children playing video games; legislators, parents and the media often express concern about the type of games children play and the potential for addiction. Cardefelt-Winther, UNICEF Innocent’s expert on digital technology and child rights, said. “As more and more children around the world are playing online games, society needs to learn more about how we can help our children balance the many positive aspects of online gaming with some of the risky or potentially harmful aspects.” Because online gaming is one of the world’s largest entertainment industries, expanded internet capabilities, mobile technologies, and affordable connected devices have opened the door to millions of gamers, including a large number of children.

5. Online sexual harassment – Unwelcome sexual advances, requests or demands for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. “Sexual harassment” includes acts of a sexual character that a person considers offensive or appalling, as well as acts that are committed with the clear intent (i.e. purpose) to insult the dignity of another person.

6. Sexting – Self-creation and posting of intimate images, sexually explicit conversations, posting/sharing of intimate images.

7. Cyber stalking- Cyber-stalking is the term used for stalking that takes place in “cyberspace” using information and communication technology. Cyberstalkers may use a variety of platforms and online communities, such as email, chat rooms, message boards, newsgroups, instant messaging, and keylogging. It may involve a variety of behaviors, such as threats, insults, defamation, sexual harassment, or other actions intended to subdue, persuade, or intimidate the victim.

8. Camera hacking- When malware downloaded with an attachment is used to capture photographs of people without their permission, it is known as camera hacking. These types of crimes can also be committed from cell phones that do not have a security camera. Real-time broadcasting of child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse is broadcast in real time to viewers located in remote areas, a practice known as “live streaming”

9. Social trolling- Social trolling is the posting of inflammatory messages or views about a person or organization in an online community with the explicit purpose of humiliating or inconveniencing the object of the trolling.

10. Profile hacking- Profile hacking occurs when your email or social networking site is accessed by a potential stalker who then compromises it.

11. Picture morphing- People who post pictures on social networking sites can be exploited, as they morph one person’s face with another’s body and publicize it in order to intimidate or blackmail the person.

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