Taken From: The Straits Times, 24/2/07
Title: New Media: A Case of Jekyll and Hyde
With the rise of the new age of technology, so too, follows the new age of crime.
Before, the crime was done in person, and belonged solely to those bold enough to do so in person, but today, improvements in cyber technology has given rise to a new breed of lawbreakers: Those emboldened and uninhibited by the supposed anonymity on the internet, and driven by peer pressure and/or the misguided belief that things on the internet are "free".
They think they aren't seen. They think they won't be caught. They think it's alright. Better, they actually don't mind going on like this. Best of all, they can be anyone.
There have already been many examples of such people, even here in Singapore, who have been caught on the wrong side of prosecutions for law infringements on the net. But yet, there are many who persist in such practices, and there are even those who have a “till the last thing is mine” attitude.
While the rise of technology has provided us many new benefits, as always, there are ways to misuse these benefits, and there are those who would exploit such opportunities.
For example, the email can be used to send emails, to share vital information, and even just to talk. Cameras are now installed in hand-phones, and there are now even tiny cameras available, for security and for convenience. But yet, the good aspects of these things, could, too be used for evil purposes, such as online scams, and to promote the notorious art of voyeurism, both now made so easy by technology.
Why then, is this happening? Why is there this rise of a morality of “It’s alright, it’s all free anyway, and it’s not that serious, I won’t get into trouble, so long as I’m not hurting anyone”? Why are people who are the average person normally, the criminal on the internet?
It has a lot to do with two things: Dishonesty, and Greed. It’s whether we have enough integrity as we think we do when no one is around to stop you. It’s whether we will settle for the things we already have, or if we want to succumb to the temptation of getting something we want but don’t have, and get it free.
In the eyes of these people, they think that when no one is watching, they can do whatever they want, and get whatever they want.
But “Code Blue is Watching Them”. In order to counter the rise of these “cybercrimes”, many IT consultancies are now working double time as cyber sleuths, seeking out and reporting these “cyber criminals” to the police. In addition, private music industries and even the MOE have been roped in to stem the Red Tide of cybercrime, through talks educating students, the most high-risk age group for cybercrime, about the dangers of illegal acts on the internet.
And as I said before, many here in Singapore (I shall not name them here) have already been arrested and sentenced to various punishments, for various crimes, such as stealing wireless signals, illegal downloading, cyber-voyeurism and the like, thus displaying, albeit in a very limited way, the effectiveness of the enforcement of the legislation
Alas, forbidden fruit tastes all the sweeter because it is forbidden.
Will these “preventive measures be successful, or will they all just go down the drain as wasted resources, or as the Chinese say it, be “taken as wind around the ears”?
In my opinion, it’s the people who are on the receiving end of these legislations, and their mindsets that matters. It really boils down to whether people will be willing to listen to these warnings, and refrain thereafter from these illegal acts.
Even if the legislature were to ban illegal downloading altogether, if the people’s hearts are not turned to the law, then it will either be rule by force, or just an empty shell of a law, with the occasional “example of what happens” cyber-martyr that makes ripples everywhere but where it would really bang a nail into the coffin of cybercrime: The minds of the people.
Only if there is a change of mindset, can there be a real change in the situation.
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2 comments:
can you please have the sense to edit out the text people does not need to know?
Please?
1. Where is the other post?
2. you have 700 words...that's 200 over the word limit
3.Good reflections:I was hoping that you would go even deeper into the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde issue--the criminality of the average person. is it so simple as dishonesty and greed? what about the evolution of the society, impact of globalisation and the advent of information age?
4.Also, would like more in-depth analysis of on the issue on legislature and your conclusive and nuanced views on it.
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