Since the advent of the digital era, many technological advances and conveniences became available to mankind. Computers became more useful to mankind now than ever before, with humans finding more ways to include computer technology in their everyday lives. The sad truth though is, as technology flourishes, so do opportunities for unscrupulous individuals to do their evil activities.
At par with the growing popularity of Internet and computers is the increasing number of cyber crimes that are being committed against their unwitting users. Hackers and other cyber criminals find more ways to wreak terror and chaos in the cyber world. The promising depths of digital world suddenly lost all its wonderful appeal. The once safe domain of the World Wide Web now became a scary place for innocent people. This is rather sad, considering that computer technology and the Internet have so much to offer.
Before, the domain of cyber world remains outside the bounds of constitutional laws. The Internet allows its users the freedom to stay anonymous while enjoying all its benefits. This, perhaps, is the biggest appeal of cyberspace to corrupt individuals. The opportunity to stay faceless and nameless online made carrying out illegal and illicit activities by criminals much easier. The anonymity the Internet provides plus the broad range of Internet users from all over the globe make it hard for the authorities to catch offenders. The lack of proper laws to trap these criminals do not help either, that is why the Internet-surfing multitude took it upon themselves to establish organizations that will fight criminal activities over the World Wide Web.
One group that is dedicated to battling crimes over the Internet and protecting its 'netizens' (a combination of the words Internet and citizens) is the Cyber Angels. Founded in 1995, Cyber Angels launched its first cyber-neighborhood watch program in the realm of iRC (Internet Relay Chat) chatting. The entire program began with a single telephone call to the Guardian Angel's president and founder, Curtis Sliwa. Sliwa was working as WABC's radio talk show host when he got a call from a woman asking what he plans to do with cyberspace. With that, Sliwa came up with the idea of a cyberspace help program and appointed several Guardian Angels to establish the very first online support group that would become known as the Cyber Angels.
Cyber Angels' mission is simple: to help netizens with all their concerns regarding cyber crimes and online abuses, as well as to provide education to newbies on the Internet. For years, Cyber Angels did just that. The organization even received recognition from President Bill Clinton in 1998 for its outstanding volunteer community service. Cyber Angels was also featured in many magazines like Reader's Digest and Family PC Magazine, and on popular TV shows like Good Morning America and in CNN. The organization still continues to serve and protect its highly-valued netizens.
Another known non-profit organization that fights cyber crimes and misdemeanors is the WHOA. WHOA, which stands for Working to Halt Online Abuse, was established in 1997 to educate netizens about online abuses and harassment and help the victims of such abuses. The organization's president, Jayne A. Hitchcock, also actively lobbies for state and federal laws that will prevent cyber criminals, particularly cyber stalkers, from harassing their victims.
Aside from non-profit organizations that provide help for the Internet multitude, there are also online centers over the web where people can file their complaints against abuses and illegal activities online. The Internet Complaint Center or IC3 is an online complaint center launched as a collaboration between the National White Collar Crime Center (NWC3) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Their goal is to serve as a medium to receive complaints and forward them to the international, national, federal, and state law enforcement agencies.
Speaking of law enforcement agencies, the government is also doing its part in protecting netizens from cyber crimes. Governments of different nations are establishing anti-cyber crime agencies and offices that monitor and regulate activities done over the web. Legislators in many countries are also lobbying for laws that will help strengthen the protection for many Internet and computer users worldwide against the broadening arena of cyber crime. International laws are also being conceived and implemented by international organizations that fight cyber crimes.
Recently, US Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick passed the so-called MySpace bill. The bill, also known as the Deleting Online Predators Act, if approved would render online network community websites such as MySpace and Friendster inaccessible for minors in academic institutions. This is to protect kids and adolescents who can access social-networking websites from schools and public libraries from cyber criminals. While the bill obviously only has the best intentions, some people think that it's a little exaggerated, believing that it would help little to keep children and teens from accessing the online network community sites.
In the US, the Social Security agency has a webpage that contains information about identity theft and contact numbers where victims can report cases of identity theft. The webpage includes hotline and links of other government offices like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Social Security Administration (SSA), and Office of the Inspector General where one can file report on Social Security number misuse and other illegal activities.
The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the US Department of Justice also has a webpage where one can find the latest news and updates on cyber crimes. The site also has information regarding computer crime cases, computer crime policy and programs, international aspects of computer crime, and computer crime legal sources. The CCIPS is the one responsible for implementing United States' strategies in battling intellectual property and computer crimes not just in the country, but all over the world.
With all these non-profit organizations, government agencies, and laws, many people hope that the cases of cyber crimes would be reduced. But all these efforts would be useless if a computer or Internet user would not exercise caution and prudence. The battle against cyber crime is a long process, and it should first start with the users.
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