Interpersonal Cybercrime
Module 6 explores the complex issue of cybercrime victimization, emphasizing how technology facilitates different forms of exploitation and abuse. Topics include online child sexual abuse material, cyberstalking, cyberharassment, image-based sexual abuse, and cyberbullying. The module shows how these crimes especially affect vulnerable populations, highlighting the psychological, social, and legal challenges faced by victims of cyberexploitation, bullying, stalking, and obscenity.
A central theme of this module is the changing legal framework designed to address online victimization. Students will review key federal laws and U.S. Supreme Court cases that demonstrate national efforts to prosecute cybercriminals and protect individuals, especially minors, within digital environments.
The module also explores the intersection of cyberspace and the sex trade, introducing issues such as prostitution, sex tourism, and how online platforms facilitate these activities. By linking individual harms to larger social and legal contexts, this module provides a thorough understanding of the effects of cybercrime victimization.
Learning Objectives
After completing this module, you should be able to
- understand the nature and extent of cybercrime victimization.
- describe the groups most impacted by cyber exploitation, bullying, stalking, and obscenity, focusing on vulnerable populations.
- identify the psychological, social, and economic impacts on victims of cybervictimization.
- describe the offenders of cyberstalking and exploitation, including their motivations, tactics, and technological approaches.
- understand U.S. laws and legislation related to cyberstalking, cyber exploitation, and online pornography.
- examine Supreme Court cases that demonstrate federal attempts to combat cybercriminals and safeguard children online.
- understand and explain issues related to online pornography, child sexual abuse material, and child exploitation enabled by the Internet.
- describe how the sex trade, including prostitution and sex tourism, has developed with the growth of online platforms and content.
- assess the challenges law enforcement encounters in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting cases of cyberstalking and cyberexploitation.
- assess international frameworks and treaties that deal with cybercrime victimization and cross-border enforcement.
- analyze prevention strategies such as education campaigns, corporate responsibilities, and government initiatives.
- discuss the ethical conflicts among regulation, free speech, and privacy in addressing online victimization.
- analyze data and case studies to gain a clearer understanding of how common cybercrime victimization is and its effects.
Summary
This chapter offers a detailed overview of cybercrime victimization, examining its different forms and the individuals and communities most affected. It covers crimes such as cyberstalking, cyberharassment, image-based sexual abuse, cyberbullying, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The readings and resources included in this module provide valuable historical, legal, and current perspectives that enhance our understanding of these topics.
Students begin by reviewing the History of Child Pornography on the Internet (Casanova et al., 2000), which traces the development of online exploitation and its ongoing harms. [While many legal texts still use the term “child pornography,” scholars and child protection advocates increasingly prefer “child sexual abuse material (CSAM)” to more accurately describe the abuse involved.] This historical overview is then followed by an analysis of the Supreme Court decision that struck down a ban on virtual child pornography (PBS, 2002), highlighting the ongoing tension between legal protections, constitutional rights, and the necessity of protecting minors from harm.
The chapter also includes resources from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), such as its 2020 brochure Coping with CSAM Exposure, which highlights the victim-centered effects of digital exploitation. Broader initiatives like the United States’ national bullying campaign (stopbullying.gov) provide further insight into prevention, research, and the connections between bullying, suicide, and anti-bullying laws.
Law enforcement responses are highlighted through an overview of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program and its extensive prevention and education resources for parents, youth, and communities. Contemporary cases, such as allegations of sexual harassment in the metaverse, and recent research on online sextortion (Dunleavy, 2022), demonstrate how new technologies create evolving risks.
Finally, the chapter features a New York Times interview with Justice Berry (2005), which discusses how judicial leaders understand the complexities of online obscenity and exploitation in a rapidly changing technological era.
These readings and activities highlight the main themes of the module: understanding victimization in digital spaces, identifying perpetrators and their methods, exploring legal and constitutional issues in fighting cybercrime, acknowledging law enforcement challenges, and examining societal impacts. By studying historical, legal, and current perspectives, students gain a deeper understanding of the harm caused by cybercrime and the efforts to prevent and combat it.
Key Takeaways
These key points summarize the learning objectives, highlighting the focus on understanding the impact, legal context, and enforcement difficulties related to cybercrime and online exploitation.
Cybercrime Victimization aids in the understanding the nature and impact of cybercrime on victims.
Affected groups describes those who are impacted by cyber exploitation, bullying, stalking, and obscenity.
Perpetrators describes those individuals who commit cyberstalking and exploitation through the Internet.
Legislation and laws provide an overview of the legal framework surrounding cyberstalking, cyber exploitation, and online pornography, including relevant laws and regulations.
Supreme Court Cases establish a legal basis from which the government and authorized agencies fight against cybercrime and protecting children online are examined.
The ever-changing form and method of online content is covered problems related to online pornography, child sexual abuse material, and child exploitation facilitated by the Internet.
Sex trade and the internet requires an analysis of how the sex trade, including prostitution and sex tourism, has evolved due to the proliferation of online content.
Law enforcement continue to experience challenges associated with detecting, investigating, and prosecuting cyberstalking and cyberexploitation cases.
Key Terms/Concepts
Anonymity Practices
Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998
Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule ("COPPA")
Cyberbullying
Cyberexploitation
Cyberharassment
Cyberstalking
Internet Anonymity
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA)
Metaverse Harassment
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
Obscenity
Online Grooming
Sextortion
Virtual Child Pornography
Modern Example
AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
The rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) presents a serious and troubling challenge in the field of cybercrime and child exploitation. AI technology has progressed to the point where it can convincingly generate images and videos that show minors in sexually explicit scenarios, often indistinguishable from authentic content. This creates several unique challenges:
Authenticity: AI-generated CSAM can appear highly realistic, making it challenging for both humans and traditional content moderation systems to tell apart real from fake material. This realism can worsen the spread of CSAM, as offenders may use AI to create large amounts of illegal content.
The spread of AI-generated CSAM can make such material more accessible, as it can be easily shared and distributed across various online platforms and networks. This increased accessibility can continue to victimized minors and enable the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.
The existence of AI-generated CSAM raises complex legal and ethical questions about the production, distribution, and possession of such material. Law enforcement agencies and policymakers must navigate how to address this content within existing legal frameworks and ensure that offenders are held accountable.
The creation and spread of AI-generated CSAM can cause deep and lasting harm to the victims shown in the material. Even if the content is fictional, victims may still suffer serious emotional and psychological damage knowing that such material exists and is being shared online.
Tackling the challenge of AI-generated CSAM requires a comprehensive strategy that involves collaboration among technology firms, law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and advocacy groups. This strategy may include developing sophisticated detection and moderation tools capable of identifying AI-generated content, establishing strong legal frameworks to prosecute offenders, and offering support services for victims affected by this form of exploitation. Moreover, efforts to educate the public about the existence and risks of AI-generated CSAM are essential for raising awareness and encouraging proactive measures to address this emerging threat.
- For more information, watch WBTV’s – AI-generated child sex abuse material (Jamie Boll, Feb. 2024)
- Read the Report: IWF research into how artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to create child sexual abuse imagery online. (Oct. 2023)
AI for safer children initiative and its Global Hub (AI for Good, Jan. 2024)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can not only assist law enforcement agencies in solving crimes but is also becoming increasingly important, especially in child sexual exploitation and abuse cases, where large amounts of material heavily burden individual officers. Examples of AI tools and techniques to support law enforcement in these investigations will be discussed, along with the AI for Safer Children Global Hub – an online platform featuring a catalog of over 70 of these tools – and training programs that unite a community committed to fighting this crime with innovative methods.
Read, Review, Watch and Listen
1. Read Casanova et al. (2000), The History of Child Pornography on the Internet
This article traces the early development of online child sexual exploitation, showing how offenders used emerging technologies to produce and distribute illegal content. It provides historical context for understanding how today’s problems with child sexual abuse material (CSAM) first arose.
Note: Many scholars and organizations now prefer the term “child sexual abuse material (CSAM)” to emphasize the abusive nature of the crime.
2. Read PBS News (2002), Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Virtual Child Pornography
This report summarizes the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition (2002), which struck down portions of the Child Pornography Prevention Act that criminalized computer-generated images. It illustrates the legal tension between protecting children online and upholding First Amendment rights.
3. Read National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): Overview and CSAM Resources
NCMEC is the national clearinghouse for information on missing children and child sexual exploitation. Its resources explain how CSAM is reported, investigated, and tracked, highlighting the role of non-profits in child protection efforts.
4. Read NCMEC Brochure (2020), reporting_and_coping_with_child_sexual_abuse_material_exposure_0
This guide offers practical advice for families, law enforcement, and professionals who encounter CSAM in their work. It emphasizes the psychological toll on those exposed and provides coping strategies and support resources.
5. Review the U.S. National Bullying Initiative – StopBullying.gov
This government program coordinates national efforts to prevent bullying, both offline and online. It provides background on how public policy and public health campaigns address cyberbullying as a form of victimization.
6. Review and learn about the Facts About Bullying, e.g., Definition, Research on Bullying, Bullying and Suicide, and Anti-Bullying Laws (stopbullying.gov, 2021).
This federal website summarizes key research findings on bullying, including links between bullying and youth suicide, and outlines anti-bullying laws across states. It connects to module themes of vulnerable populations and prevention strategies.
7. Review the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program
A nationwide network of task forces that assist local and state law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting child exploitation crimes. It demonstrates how multi-agency collaboration addresses the complexities of online victimization.
8. Review and learn more about Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC) resources from the ICAC Internet Safety page. Review resources within each of the four categories: (1) Parents, (2) Youth, (3) General, and (4) Videos.
These prevention materials—tailored for parents, youth, the general public, and educators—demonstrate how law enforcement also engages in proactive education, not just investigation. They encourage students to think about community-level prevention strategies.
9. Review Sexual harassment in the metaverse? Woman alleges rape in virtual world. (News Article)
This case study discusses allegations of sexual assault in a virtual reality environment, showing how victimization can extend into immersive online spaces. It raises questions about regulation, accountability, and how emerging technologies complicate definitions of harm.
10. Review Dunleavy (2022), Sextortion Study: Men at Higher Risk for Online Blackmail
This UPI article summarizes research indicating that men, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, faced increased vulnerability to sextortion schemes. It expands the victim profile beyond stereotypical narratives and underscores the gendered dynamics of online exploitation.
11. Watch Interview with Justice Berry (New York Times, Dec. 2005).
In this interview, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice discusses the challenges of applying constitutional standards—such as obscenity law—to new forms of online content. It provides students with a judicial perspective on balancing free speech with protections against exploitation.
12. Watch PBS’ Internet Child Exploitation Tips Skyrocket During Coronavirus Shutdown (John Ferrugia, April 2020).
13. Listen to Darknet Diaries (Jack Rhysider)
Storytelling podcast about real-life cases of cybercrime. Episodes like “Sextortion” and “The Ashley Madison Hack” connect to victimization, exploitation, and online harm.
Watch One Good Friend | StopBullying.gov:
Activity – The Role and Importance of Education in the Prevention of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
STOP!!! Students should review the course syllabus to determine the assignment of this activity.
This is a copy of the module’s activity that students find within Blackboard. For that reason, refer to the Activities page to submit your work for review.
Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to further explore prevention resources for child combating interpersonal cybercrime.
Overview
A variety of victimizations can happen online, many similar to their real-world counterparts. Specifically, these include threats, obscene comments and hints, and exposure to harmful and obscene materials, such as pictures and other media. Children and women are often the primary targets of those who engage in cyberstalking and exploitation over the Internet. Most often, white males between 18 and 35 years old make up the majority of offenders.
The U.S. Supreme Court has had the opportunity to hear several cases regarding cybercrime laws, such as the Child Pornography Prevention Act (1996). Many of the same issues involving non-cybercrimes are being reviewed by the court. Many of these laws were overturned for being too vague and broad. The federal government has responded by passing new laws and refining existing ones to regulate and control Internet content, especially to prevent children from accessing objectionable material. These types of crimes also pose unique challenges for law enforcement, including a lack of expertise, limited resources, and difficulty in tracking and prosecuting offenders.
Instructions
- Review Module 6 Key Terms/Concepts and focus on those legal protections instituted by the United States government, e.g., Child Pornography Prevention Act 1996.
- Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and review the overview of child sexual abuse.
- Also review statistics related to the prevalence of sexual abuse against children and teens: HERE
- Read Prevention of Sexual Abuse Through Educational Programs Directed Towards Children by Dr. David Finkelhor (2007).
- Go to the Monique Burr – Foundation (MBF) for Children – Prevention Education Programs and select ONE of the nine series videos to review. Note that each video is approximately 1-hour in length.
Answer the following questions:
- Reflect on your findings from step 4, identify the name of the chosen MBF online series, and describe its focus and overall purpose in detail; go beyond just the presentation title.
- Describe one of the most interesting or important things you learned from watching the video presentation. Be specific and include course-related concepts in your answer.
- In your opinion, how could education-based prevention programs support or enhance the work of technology and enforcement professionals involved in combating CSAM? Explain.
Key Terms/Concepts
Child exploitation is the act of using a minor child for profit, labor, sexual gratification, or some other personal or financial advantage. According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) [2021], the advent of the internet created a new tool for child-pornography collectors, traders and manufacturers to sexually exploit children. Prior to the digital age, child pornographers relied on physical exchanges or the U.S. mail system to gain access to illegal material. The internet provided an instant, somewhat anonymous, at-home vehicle for these individuals to meet one another, trade files, and access children to victimize.
Child molestation is a crime involving a range of indecent or sexual activities between an adult and a child, usually under the age of 14. In psychiatric terms, these acts are sometimes known as pedophilia. It is important, however, to keep in mind that child molestation and child Sexual Abuse refer to specific, legally defined actions.
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prescribe regulations requiring commercial website operators to follow fair information practices in connection with the collection and use of personal information from children under age 16, including by obtaining verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information from children under the age of 13.
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“COPPA”) imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age.
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM), formerly known as child pornography (CP), involves the abuse and harm perpetrated against children and is a more accurate description of the harm. The more accurate label of CSAM is slowly replacing the reference to CP throughout academic and legal communities. It is important to remember that unlike adult pornography, children do not engage in consensual erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement.
Professional Note, Eric R. Ramirez-Thompson PhD, is a proud and active member of RAINN’s Speakers Bureau. He encourages those who want to learn more or need assistance to visit these other resources:
- https://1in6.org/
- https://nomore.org/campaigns/
- https://1in6.org/get-information/male-survivor-stories/
Refer to the course learning management system (LMS); that is Blackboard (BB), for the correct due date. In addition, submit your work via BB for grading.
Discussion Questions
- How can schools balance their duty of care for student safety with respect for student privacy and freedom of expression in cyber-space?
- What are some of the legal and educational challenges that cyber-bullying poses for schools in Canada and the U.S.?
- What are some of the best practices or policy guidelines that schools can adopt to prevent and address cyber-bullying among their students?
- How do you evaluate the arguments of the critics who claim that the concepts taught in prevention programs are too complex, inappropriate, or ineffective for children to learn and apply?
- What are the strengths and limitations of the studies that have examined the outcomes of prevention programs, such as victimization rates, disclosure rates, self-blame, and anxiety levels?
- What other prevention strategies besides school-based education programs could be implemented to reduce the occurrence and impact of child sexual abuse? How would you measure their effectiveness?
Supplemental Readings
- Internet anonymity practices in computer crime (Armstrong, H.L. & Forde, P.J., 2003) InternetAnonymity
- Cyber-Dilemmas In The New Millennium: School Obligations To Provide Student Safety In A Virtual School Environment (Shariff, Shaheen, McGill Journal of Education, 2005) Cyber-Dilemmas in the New Millennium
- FBI-Violent Crimes Against Children/Online Predators
- Teens and Cyberbullying – 2022 (Pew Research Center, Dec. 2022)
- 2023 National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention & Interdiction (U.S. DOJ, September, 2023). Accessed September 2024.
Read, Review, Watch and Listen to all listed materials by the due date listed within the course LMS site.
Click HERE to report any needed updates, e.g., broken links.
The methods and tools that internet users employ to achieve anonymity, such as encryption, proxy servers, virtual private networks, Tor, etc.
Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit and set penalties for specified activities relating to material: (1) constituting or containing child pornography, including knowingly possessing any book, magazine, periodical, film, videotape, computer disk, or other material that contains three or more images of child pornography (and enhances penalties if the offender has a prior Federal or State conviction relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual conduct involving a minor or ward, or for specified activities relating to child pornography (prior conviction)); and (2) depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including knowingly mailing, or transporting or shipping in interstate or foreign commerce, including by computer, any visual depiction created, adapted, or modified to appear that an identifiable minor is engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Revises the definition of "visual depiction" to include data stored on computer disk or by electronic means which is capable of conversion into a visual image.
Formerly known as child pornography (CP), involves the abuse and harm perpetrated against children and is a more accurate description of the harm. The more accurate label of CSAM is slowly replacing the reference to CP throughout academic and legal communities. It is important to remember that unlike adult pornography, children do not engage in consensual erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement.
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 - Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prescribe regulations requiring commercial website operators to follow fair information practices in connection with the collection and use of personal information from children under age 16, including by obtaining verifiable parental consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information from children under the age of 13.
COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age.
Bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior (StopBully.gov, 2021).
The non-consensual distribution or publication of intimate photos or videos online.
The act of sending hostile, abusive, or threatening messages through online platforms to cause emotional distress to a victim.
A pattern of repeated, unwanted, and intrusive online behaviors such as monitoring, threats, or impersonation that create fear in the victim.
The ability to conceal one’s identity or location on the internet, which can be used for both legitimate and illegitimate purposes.
A national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing over 4,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement, dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children.
The non-consensual creation, distribution, or threat of distribution of intimate images or videos, sometimes referred to as “revenge porn.”
Unwanted sexual advances, harassment, or assault-like behaviors that occur in virtual reality or immersive online environments.
A private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to help find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation, and prevent child victimization. NCMEC works with families, victims, private industry, law enforcement, and the public to assist with preventing child abductions, recovering missing children, and providing services to deter and combat child sexual exploitation.
Material that violates community standards of decency and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. In the U.S., obscenity is legally defined by the Miller Test (Miller v. California, 1973).
The process by which offenders build trust with minors in digital spaces to exploit them sexually, often leading to CSAM production or offline contact.
A form of online blackmail in which perpetrators threaten to share intimate or sexual images unless victims provide additional content, money, or other favors.
Computer-generated or simulated images of minors in sexual contexts that do not involve real children. The legality of such content was central in Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition (2002).
