The role of social media platforms in facilitating cybercrime

Since the last 2 decades, we as a society have seen the rapid growth of social media. Perhaps it is Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and many more such platforms that have created a space for people to converse, explore and showcase the best versions of themselves. Humans are social animals and social media gave them a source to explore their sociality to the ultimate level.

Before we get into how social media works, let’s take a look at how social media has been used in the past two decades. Social media was used to send emails and even small messages to your loved ones, then it evolved into a much bigger platform so that people could connect with unknown people from all over the world or maybe people who are similar to them (who share the same interests). This created a free space for all users, but was it reliable or safe for everyone?

It created a space where anyone could send messages and share their memories, photos or personal information like location, phone numbers etc. But was it safe enough or was it just a free pass for unknown people or not so friendly people to find out your location, whereabouts and even edit your photos and create deepfakes out of them.

Social media reached the ultimate level of socialism, since the last 5 years or especially during Covid people were consuming content like never before. They were watching news, music, sports, socializing with complete strangers for hours, chatting in different rooms and befriending people even to educate themselves or learn from others. But were all these things safe enough for the untrained minds, do they have any idea how powerful technology can be and how it can be scammed and misused by people.

Normal consumers are here to have fun, but there are people who are waiting for one wrong move from these strangers so they can use the information or select the information from these consumers and make a profit. Sometimes these scams and frauds are about more than just money.

Cybercrime and its nature:

Cybercrime is any crime committed over the Internet.

According to (BRITANNICA) According to (BRITANNICA), cybercrime is the use of computers as tools to achieve illegal ends, such as fraud, trafficking in child pornography and intellectual property, identity theft, and invasion of privacy. Cybercrime, particularly over the Internet, is becoming increasingly important as computers become central to commerce, entertainment, and government.(1)

One of the first cybercrimes was hacking, which dates back to the 60s and 70s and it was all because of the curiosity and desire of people to explore the technology. With the advancement of the internet, cybercrime continued to grow and took on a more serious form. In the late 70s, it all started with hacking into phone systems, but now it has taken on all kinds of forms (for example, malware to disrupt systems and steal information, phishing scams for money (online fraud), cyberterrorism to attack political and ideological targets. The nature of cybercrime is no different from the nature of real crime. People get robbed, information leaked, harassed, public humiliation, etc. Everything is the same, it is just the form in which it takes place.

Social media and cybercrime go hand in hand, but that is only because of the type and nature of the platform. It is difficult to hack and commit crimes because the technology is improving every day. However, it is not impossible for criminals to hack someone’s system and get their data.

Common cybercrimes include:
Identity theft, phishing, cyberstalking, ransomware, hacking, copyright infringement, illegal gambling, online sale of illegal items, child pornography, harassment, blackmail, etc.

Social media is the gateway to cybercrime

Social media has changed the way people communicate and interact, but has also become a hunting ground for cybercriminals. The reach, richness of data that users knowingly or unknowingly provide, and the interconnectedness of these platforms make them viable targets for malicious actors. In this regard, this essay will essentially discuss how social media acts as an entry point for cybercrime, special weaknesses, and forms of attacks.

Data collection and profiling – Data collection and profiling are some of the major methods used by social media to encourage cybercrime. People on these platforms release a lot of details that can reveal their identity and other things like their residential details, their age and even their financial details. Such data allows the attacker to create a detailed profile of the intended target and thus map out ways to effectively attack the intended target.

Phishing and social engineering – While phishing involves creating fake emails or messages with the intention of tricking people into revealing their identity details, social media has made it easier for cybercriminals to commit this cybercrime. Some possible details that can be obtained from an SMM profile include theft of password information, which gives the attacker complete control over an individual’s account, identity theft, stalking, and hacking into someone’s social media account.

Malware distribution – Social media also poses another threat, as it provides a platform for malware to be spread via malicious downloads and links such as viruses, malware, and ransomware. Hacking groups can publish links to malicious websites or email attachments that, if opened or downloaded, damage the owner’s device and steal their information.

Identity theft – People’s detailed personal information is often what thieves want to steal. Once they get their hands on this data, they waste no time. They start creating fake identities and soon they’re running off with things like credit cards and loans, pretending to be someone else.

Cyberbullying and intimidation – Social media has become a place where cyberbullying and harassment continue to exist. Sites allow anyone to register and hide behind a screen, meaning that some individuals can behave badly without any consequences. Researchers have found that victims of cyberbullying often face severe emotional and psychological effects, such as feeling very down, worried all the time, and even thinking about suicide.

Case law:
Tamil Nadu State vs Suhas Katti
Facts: The accused was a friend of the victim’s family and wanted to marry her, but she married another man, which resulted in divorce. After her divorce, the accused convinced her again and when she hesitated to marry him, he started harassing her through the internet. The accused opened a fake email account in the victim’s name and posted defamatory, obscene and nasty information about the victim.

Decision: The Additional Chief Magistrate of the Metropolitan City, Egmore, convicted the accused. The accused was subjected to rigorous imprisonment for 2 years along with a fine of Rs. 500, under Section 469 of the Penal Code, simple imprisonment for 1 year along with a fine of Rs. 500, under Section 509 of the Penal Code, and rigorous imprisonment for 2 years along with a fine of Rs. 4,000, under Section 67 of the IT Act (2).

Conclusion
It has been noted that though social media platforms have their advantages of enhancing people’s social relationships, it has the disadvantage of cybercrime. Cybercrime takes place on the internet but social media is the main gateway for them as it provides a way for scammers, cheaters and hackers to view and approach masses in large numbers. Even with the security walls provided by such platforms, it is very easy for hackers and criminals to gain access to the data as the users themselves make mistakes and tap on unknown links or get trapped under the false advertisements of monetary gain and some crimes are related to personal acts of unethical behavior or actions like child pornography, defamation, harassment, false guidance, etc.

It is important to avoid posting anything that could be considered sensitive on social network accounts. Also, you should not download or use unknown links/attachments and use secure and hard-to-crack passwords, along with other protective measures, to avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime.

Endnotes:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/cybercrime

https://enhelion.com/

Written by: Mikail Faridi

E-mail: (email protected)