Cyber-crimes against adolescents: Bridges between a psychological and a design approach

Abstract

At young ages there is an increase in reports of intimidation, harassment, intrusion, fear, and violence experienced through Information Technologies (IT). Hacking, spamming, identity theft, child pornography, cyber bullying, and cyber stalking are just few examples of cyber-crimes. This chapter aims to contribute, from a psychological and design perspective, to an integrative viewpoint about this complex field of cyber-crime. In this chapter, the most common types of cyber-crimes, epidemiological data, and the profiles of cyber victims and aggressors' are approached. The studies that identify the factors contributing to IT misuse and to growing online vulnerability, principally in adolescents, are also discussed. Likewise, the central explanatory theories for the online victimization and the risk factors for victimization and perpetration online are addressed. Finally, some cyber-crime prevention strategies are anticipated, in particular among young people, seeking to provide clues to the consolidation of recent policies, namely at the digital design level.