Digital Criminology: Cyber Bullying, Social Media, and Surveillance

This document discusses the various aspects of digital criminology, including cyber bullying, social media's impact on mental health, and the use of surveillance cameras in crime prevention. It explores the rise of cyber crimes, the violation of privacy rights, and the role of technology in shaping the criminal justice system. The document also highlights the need for laws and societal norms to address revenge pornography and provides insights into the effectiveness of CCTV cameras in detecting criminal activities.

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Digital criminology

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Table of Contents
Week 2.......................................................................................................................................3
Week 3.......................................................................................................................................3
Week 4.......................................................................................................................................4
Week 5.......................................................................................................................................4
Week 7.......................................................................................................................................5
Reference List............................................................................................................................6

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Week 2
Due to the advent of internet to a huge level, cyber bullying has evolved to a massive extent
in schools. I have inferred that cyber bullying has led to the led to violent acts amongst
students in schools mainly in Europe and the United States of America. Based on my
observance, cyber bullying also involves death threats. Acts as a result of vengeance also lead
to cyber bullying to a massive extent. Various channels of electronic communication are used
for cyber bullying such as email, social media chats, reviews on You Tube videos and text
messages in mobile phones along with Whatsapp chats. Online harassment is one of the most
aggravated forms of cyber bullying such as calling of names, sexual abuse, racial comments
and various kinds of profanity along with remarks on appearances as per my personal views.
Cyber criminology has gained high intensity as a result of the usage and popularity of
computers and the development of the internet. I have inferred that cyber crimes have led to
various kinds of malpractices such as cyber terrorism and cyber espionage (Li, 2007). Digital
criminology has also resulted in hacking to a great extent as far as the leakage of confidential
information is concerned. Cyber bullying is quite rampant in educational institutions as a
result of the advent of Information Technology to a huge level. It also results in traumatic
experiences amongst adolescents as they are frequent users of the internet as far as online
chats are concerned. It also leads to violent acts which may be fatal. Cyber bullying also led
to the deactivation of social media accounts to a massive level as per my personal
observations and experiences. In order to combat cyber bullying, the cyber police would play
an extremely important role in helping the victims.
Week 3
Based on my observances, social media leads to a great extent various mental health
disorders such as depression and anxiety. I have also inferred that social media leads to the
vulnerable acts such as self harm and suicide to a massive level. Hate and defamatory
speeches have also been quite popular as far as digital criminology is concerned. It also
includes obscene content along with the distribution of pornographic materials online in an
illegal manner as observed by me. I have also observed that the criminal justice system has
undergone a massive transition with regard to the advent of digital criminology as far as the
current trends with reference to the advancement of the aspects related to Information
Technology are concerned (Stratton, Powell and Cameron, 2017). The disciplines related to

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technology, criminology and law have also been shaped up to a massive extent as a result of
the advent of digital criminology as per my personal reflection. The rights related to privacy
are also blatantly violated as result of cyber criminology to a huge level thereby leading to
gross contravention of human rights and basic civil liberties of a person as per my views.
Social media also leads to peer pressure amongst the youth, especially teenagers and
adolescents with regard to the maintenance of their existence amongst the peer groups.
However, such an aspect is far from reality which is difficult to maintain for people in the
long run.
Week 4
I have experienced that despite being disastrous, social media sites such as twitter have
played an important role in the spreading of awareness of criminal events such as murders.
As a result, vital information has been gained with regard to the criminal event in question as
a result of social media. Various online forums have also led to the awareness of criminal
events as per my observances. Social media sites such as Facebook also provide an incredible
platform with regard to groups in order to make appropriate responses to the criminal event in
question and to imply the prevention of crime. Such an aspect would also help in the
conviction of the criminals as per the law in force and the kind of crime committed (Powell,
Overington and Hamilton, 2018). Additionally, I have also inferred that apart from social
media, news agencies and media houses also play an extremely vital role with regard to the
reporting of crimes involving violent acts. As a result, high handedness of the police with
regard to the usage of brutal means also gets highlighted based on my observances. Some
media houses broadcast the issues related to crime in such a manner that it appeals to the
viewers to a huge level thereby spreading awareness of crimes and the measures to be
undertaken accordingly for the purpose of the prevention of crimes in an effective and
efficient manner as per my personal experiences (Tonkin, Pfeiffer and Tourte, 2012).
Week 5
I have experienced that selfies to a huge extent lead to activities which are perceived to be
criminal in nature. Technology, social networking and photography have played an important
role in the depiction of cultural and valuable aspects of people to a huge level. Furthermore, I
have also observed that selfies depicting criminal activities are on a rampant level thereby
implying that people are recording their crimes by taking pictures accordingly and the

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rationale behind such crimes are inferred and concluded upon after the trials and other
necessary proceedings. Sharing of images online with regard to crime has also gained a
huge popularity with reference to digital criminology as a result of the advent of Information
t Technology at a huge level. I have also observed that video recordings have also led to the
depiction of various kinds of crimes as uploaded in the internet and various in to various
devices. It further implies that pornography has also gained a huge popularity with regard to
digital criminology as far as sharing of obscene videos without the knowledge of the actual
victim is concerned (Sandberg and Ugelvik, 2016). As a result, there has been a massive
dehumanization of women and children with regard to them disciplines pertaining to digital
criminology as observed and inferred by me.
Week 6
I have observed that revenge pornography is on the rise as far as online sexual abuse through
distribution of images is concerned. People involved in such kinds of activities claim that
these are under the ambit of freedom of speech and expression as far as the basic human
rights and civil liberties are concerned. However, I have inferred that they result in
victimization of women at a huge level thereby leading to the gross contravention of their
right to privacy in terms of non-consensual aspect involved (Bates, 2017). As a result, there
have been calls for the passing of laws with regard to the prevention of pornography in a
revengeful manner. I have also observed that such kinds of laws would be extremely helpful
with reference to the aiding of women who have been victimized in a proper and appropriate
manner as far as reporting to the police is concerned. Such laws would also provide as
platform for the concerned authorities to frame criminal charges against the offender as far as
sentencing is concerned. I have further observed that along with the laws, the norms in the
society must also adapt accordingly as far as comprehensive solution is concerned taking
account of technological advancement.
Week 7
In the recent past, Closed-Circuit Television Cameras have been introduced in order to detect
activities of criminals as far as credible evidence of crime is concerned. They act as an
effective and efficient means of surveillance with regard to the catching of criminals in a
proper and appropriate manner as per my personal observances. As a result, I have observed
that surveillance is necessary with regard to the maintenance of law and order as far as the

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safety and security of the society is concerned. I have also inferred that such kinds of
surveillance acts as an alternative form of policing as far as the implementation of the
applicable law is concerned (Piza et al., 2019). However, the concept relating to Closed-
Circuit Television Cameras has also been met with huge criticism with respect to the invasion
of the privacy of a person since people are being constantly watched and monitored in public
places. Advocates of Closed-Circuit Television Cameras as per my observances argue and
opine that such a concept is required as it plays an extremely vital role in the identification of
the criminals as far as sentencing them subsequently is concerned.

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Reference List
Bates, S., 2017. Revenge porn and mental health: A qualitative analysis of the mental health
effects of revenge porn on female survivors. Feminist Criminology, 12(1), pp.22-42.
Li, Q., 2007. New bottle but old wine: A research of cyberbullying in schools. Computers in
human behavior, 23(4), pp.1777-1791.
Piza, E.L., Welsh, B.C., Farrington, D.P. and Thomas, A.L., 2019. CCTV surveillance for
crime prevention: A 40‐year systematic review with meta‐analysis. Criminology & Public
Policy, 18(1), pp.135-159.
Powell, A., Overington, C. and Hamilton, G., 2018. Following# JillMeagher: Collective
meaning-making in response to crime events via social media. Crime, Media, Culture, 14(3),
pp.409-428.
Sandberg, S. and Ugelvik, T., 2016. Why do offenders tape their crimes? Crime and
punishment in the age of the selfie. British Journal of Criminology, 57(5), pp.1023-1040.
Stratton, G., Powell, A. and Cameron, R., 2017. Crime and justice in digital society: towards
a ‘Digital Criminology’?. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social
Democracy, 6(2), pp.17-33.
Tonkin, E., Pfeiffer, H.D. and Tourte, G., 2012. Twitter, information sharing and the London
riots?. Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 38(2),
pp.49-57.