Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have transformed global societies because of rapid technological advancement. ICTs have become deeply ingrained in the lives of children since they have had easy access to computers and mobile technology. Although the number of young people using the internet has expanded, relatively few are given the proper instruction regarding safe and appropriate online behaviour. As a result, cybercrime has increased, and the internet is now a venue for abuse and violence that supports and reinforces offline crimes.
What is Cybercrime?
Cybercrime is a criminal activity that is committed using the internet or other forms of digital technology. It encompasses a wide range of criminal activities, such as hacking, identity theft, phishing, online fraud, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and the distribution of malicious software.
The increasing use of technology in various aspects of daily life has made it easier for cybercriminals to access sensitive information and cause harm to individuals, organisations, and society. Cybercrime has become a growing concern for governments and law enforcement agencies around the world, as the damage caused can be significant and widespread.
Along with these crimes, criminals also commit online child abuse and other forms of cybercrime, including child exploitation, cyberbullying, owning child pornography, exposure to hazardous content, and many others. In addition, it has been noted that young kids or teenagers are the primary and most accessible victims of criminal activities since they are gullible, innocent, daring, and desperate for love and attention.
Major Cybercrimes Against Children
The cyber hazards that children encounter, such as online bullying, unsuitable information, and digital addiction, are getting worse as they spend more time online. Cybercrimes against children are on the rise and some of the major ones that we should be concerned about are the following.
- Child Sexual Exploitation
- Online Grooming
- Sextortion
- Cyberbullying
- Online Predation
- Social Media Scams
- Gaming Hacking
- Live Streaming Abuses
- Phishing scams
- Ransomware Attacks
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Child Sexual Exploitation
This involves the creation, distribution, or possession of child pornography. According to UNICEF, tens of thousands, or even millions, of children in each country are being subjected to severe instances of online sexual abuse each year. The girls and boys between the age group of 12- 17 are experiencing online sexual exploitation and abuse in fairly equal proportions. 8 to 31% for girls and 3 to 17% for boys.
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Online Grooming
This refers to the act of building a trusting relationship with a child online for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Offenders target children through well-established grooming pathways, such as social media and gaming sites, and coerce them to produce self-generated child abuse images. Online grooming crimes have risen by more than 80% in four years. Four in five (82%) of grooming cases last year were against girls, with 12 to 15-year-old girls making up 39% of all victims.
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Sextortion
This involves threatening to release sexually explicit images or videos of a child in order to extort money or other favours from the victim. The FBI has seen a huge increase in the number of cases involving children and teens being threatened and coerced into sending explicit images online. There was a 64% increase from 2020 in URLs containing child sexual abuse imagery, links to this imagery, or advertisements for it. Almost 70% of victims were aged between 11 and 13. Young girls are at particular risk. That has now risen to 97%. Boys tend to be more vulnerable to gaming platforms.
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Cyberbullying
This involves the use of technology to harass, intimidate, or humiliate a child. According to cyberbullying research, 21 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 18 have been cyberbullied. Of all the social networks, kids on YouTube is the most likely to be cyberbullied at 79 percent, followed by Snapchat at 69 percent, TikTok at 64 percent, and Facebook at 49 percent.
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Online Predation
This involves adults posing as minors in order to engage in sexual exploitation or abuse. Online predator stats reveal that 20% of kids have been sexually solicited online. 75% of them didn’t tell a parent about it. 14% of kids have met online predators in person, and nearly 75% have done so more than once.
Sex offender statistics reveal that as many as 85% of online predators are hands-on abusers of children. More than half of the victims of online predators are between 12 and 15 years old. 77% of online predators’ targets are 14 or older. 22% are between 10 and 13.
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Social Media Scams
This involves tricking children into providing personal information, such as their name, address, or financial details, to cyber criminals. The age group most vulnerable to scams is actually 18 to 24 years old. More than 1 million children were victims of identity theft or fraud last year, according to a new report from Javelin Strategy & Research. Two-thirds of those victims were aged 7 or younger. Six in 10 child victims personally know the perpetrator. Based on the survey, a family friend is the most common familiar fraud perpetrator.
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Gaming Hacking
This involves hacking into online gaming platforms to steal personal information or commit other crimes against children. From January 2022 to December 2022, 39,973 files that included malware and potentially unwanted applications were distributed using popular children’s game titles as a lure, with 232,735 users encountering these threats globally. During the same period a year earlier, Kaspersky experts detected that 273,420 users encountered 53,010 unique files spread under the guise of games for kids in 2021.
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Live Streaming Abuses
This involves the live streaming of child abuse or sexual exploitation. The Safe Online Initiative estimates that up to 20% of 12- to 17-year-olds in 13 countries were victimized by online sexual exploitation and abuse in the past year.
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Phishing scams
This involves sending fake emails or messages to children in order to steal personal information or trick them into downloading malware.
Although today's children are digital natives and tech-savvy, they are not immune to online scams. It is estimated that close to one-third have experienced other cyber threats, such as phishing or hacking. According to Surfshark, this is very high in countries like Thailand, the Philippines, and Turkey and high in Colombia and Mexico.
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Ransomware Attacks
This involves using ransomware to encrypt a child's personal data and demanding payment in exchange for the decryption key.
Cybercriminals launched more than 7 million attacks on children, exploiting popular game titles in 2022, an increase of 57% compared to 2021. These phishing attacks included pages used to target parents’ devices, luring young players, by mimicking global titles including Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Apex Legends games.
In 2022, cybercriminals even exploited games designed for 3-8-year-old children. This highlights that cybercriminals do not filter their targets by age and attack even the youngest gamers, with the likely target of reaching their parents' devices. 20% of all current cyberattacks are classified as ransomware. Ransomware accounted for a fifth of all cyberattacks in 2022. The use of stolen credentials accounted for a further 40% of attacks over the same period.
Most Common Methods Cybercriminals Used To Target Kids And Teenagers
Malware assaults and cybercrime frequently target children and teenagers, despite the impression that they only occur in the adult world. Children make excellent targets as they have high interpersonal trust and minimal cybersecurity expertise. Some of the most common methods that cybercriminals use to target kids and teenagers are the following.
- Connecting via chat apps
- Connecting via social media
- Malicious software and mobile apps
- Phishing and otherwise malicious websites
- Phishing and malicious emails
- Phishing links
- Text message phishing (SMS phishing or “smishing”)
- Voice phishing (“vishing”) phone calls
The National Crime Agency (NCA) UK reported that, according to their National Cyber Crime Unit, there was a 107% increase in reported incidents in 2020.
In addition, there were more cybercrime victims in the UK in 2021 than in any other country, a 40% increase compared to 8% globally.
Top Countries Reporting Cybercrimes Against Children
Recently, Cyberproof conducted research to find countries that served as the place of origin for the highest number of cyberattacks. Based on their research, the top 10 countries from where cyberattacks originated are:
Cybercrimes against children is a rapidly growing and alarming trend in the digital age. Children are especially vulnerable to online dangers, as they are less likely to have the skills and experience to recognize and protect themselves from potential risks. This type of crime can range from child exploitation and abuse to identity theft, cyberbullying, and even exposure to harmful content.
Globally, cases of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children have risen since the pandemic began. In India, for instance, cybercrimes against children in 2020 rose by more than 400 percent over the previous year. Nearly 90 percent of these crimes were related to the publication or transmission of content depicting children in sexually explicit acts. The shift to online schooling, the use of educational apps, and the increased use of social media have been found to pose threats to the online safety of children in India.
In the United States (US), OCSAE (Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation) cases more than doubled in the first half of 2020, compared to the first half of 2019. The UK-based watchdog, Internet Watch Foundation, has observed that 2021 was the worst year on record for child sexual abuse online. Australia saw a 90-per cent increase in online illegal content between 2019 and 2020, the bulk of it consisting of CSAM (Child sexual abuse material).
In addition, children may be exposed to harmful or inappropriate content online, such as violent or explicit material, or hate speech. This exposure can have a negative impact on their well-being, as well as their social and emotional development.
Why Are Children Unsafe in Cyberspace?
Recent research by Kaspersky revealed that 73% of teenagers can’t imagine life without a smartphone, and half of them take their phones to bed. Also, 44% of kids aged 8 to 16 are online constantly, with a preference for entertainment and social media apps. Cyberspace is unsafe for kids as they are unaware of its dangers. It was found that 40% of children reveal sensitive information online, including their home addresses and a third of young people lie about their age online.
These practices could lead to many problems, such as cyberstalking, cyberbullying, online extortion, and online sexual harassment. Studies show that about 37% of kids have experienced online dangers, including bullying, financial threats, and inappropriate content.
To protect children from cybercrime, parents, teachers, and law enforcement must work together to educate and raise awareness about the dangers of the internet. Children should also be taught to be cautious and responsible online and to report any suspicious or concerning behaviour.
The Importance Of Educating Your Children About Online Safety
In this era, children are exposed to online content regularly, thus making it necessary to educate them about the importance of online safety. But teaching a kid about online safety can be tricky because of all the unpleasant topics involved. And where and how to start educating them about online safety can also be difficult to determine. This is where Online Safety Classes for Children come in handy. With the help of experienced tutors, your children will learn about safe internet practices. They will learn about the different ways to protect themselves in the online space as well as the reasons behind exercising this caution.
In conclusion,
Online abuse can have serious and long-lasting effects on children. By being aware of the potential risks and taking steps to prevent or respond to them, parents and caregivers can help protect children from the harm of online abuse.
Locations Where Edoxi Offers Cybersecurity Certification Courses
Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers Cybersecurity Certification Courses
Cyber Security Courses in Dubai | Cyber Security Courses in Qatar | Cyber Security Courses in Muscat | Cyber Security Courses in London | Cyber Security Courses in Amsterdam | Cyber Security Courses in Sharjah |
Satendra K
Satendra K
Satendra K is the Chief Technology Officer at Edoxi Training Institute. A cyber security program leader with more than ten years of experience, he possesses a deep level understanding of state-of-the-art security technologies. His polished communication skills play an influential role in his career as a trainer. As a core member of our cyber security courses team, he oversees the development of cutting-edge curriculum and novel modes of course delivery.
