Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1454280
13 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 FEBRUARY 2022 OPINION Lisa Sugiura & Jason R.C. Nurse Lisa Sugiura is Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Cybercrime, University of Portsmouth Jason R.C. Nurse is Associate Professor in Cyber Security, University of Kent Perpetrators of domestic abuse are increasingly exploiting dig- ital tools to coerce and control their victims. Where there is abuse in a relationship, technol- ogy will also feature in how that abuse is conducted. Police forces now expect as much, when re- sponding to cases of domestic abuse. Such technological abuse fea- tures everyday tools, from smart devices to online platforms and mobile phone apps. And the in- formation on where to find them and how to use them is easily accessible online, often using a simple Google search. To understand the extent of this problem, we conducted a wide-ranging study for the UK government. We reviewed 146 domestic abuse cases report- ed in British and international media, and conducted in-depth interviews with support charity workers and frontline police of- ficers in England. We found that abusers often have physical access to their partners' devices and use them to monitor, harass and humili- ate. Abusers can force their victims to disclose passwords, PIN codes or swipe patterns to get into their devices so they can install sypware – all without sophisti- cated tech knowledge. Geolocation software and oth- er surveillance spyware provide new possibilities for abusers to monitor and track victims' movements. In our study, we found hundreds of tools online that could be used for these pur- poses. Surveillance Some apps are hint at the possi- bility of allowing hidden surveil- lance. One survey found a 93% increase in the use of spyware and "stalkerware" apps since the beginning of the pandemic. We also found that there are tracking apps which are designed for legitimate purposes, such as child or anti-theft protection, and which are widely available on equally legitimate sites and app stores. Research shows these have been exploited to spy on or reportedly to stalk a partner (or ex-partner). Studies now refer to them as dual-use apps. Similar concerns have been voiced about covert monitoring devices and smart tech such as Apple's AirTags. These small bluetooth devices are designed to be paired with tracking apps for finding lost belongings, such as car keys. But stalkers have re- portedly exploited them too. It's not just smart devices that are being used to access per- sonal information. Smart locks, thermostats, networked TV and sound systems, as well as secu- rity monitoring equipment are also being exploited to control and terrify victims – to monitor their movements and any visits they get. Further, where an abuser has access to cloud-based voice ser- vices, they will be able to access past conversations, order in- formation and other data that might give them insights into the plans of a victim, potentially even if they are planning to leave. Harassment We found that fake accounts on online platforms and social media are often set up with abu- sive intent. They can be used to present the victim in a derogato- ry manner. A man in Liverpool was jailed after he listed his ex-girlfriend's workplace in accounts set up in her name on swinger and dating platforms. Legally, this is a grey area. Hacking a person's account is a clear criminal offence, while im- personating someone to create a fake account is not. In some but not all instances, it can be argued that doing so constitutes cyber-harassment. A case in point is the man who, in 2018, reportedly set up a fraudulent Facebook profile of his ex-wife in which he false- ly claimed she fantasised about being raped. Because he includ- ed contact details in the profile, a random stranger turned up at her workplace to meet her. Similarly, in 2017, another man allegedly set up fake Grin- dr accounts in the name of his ex-boyfriend. Over 1,000 men turned up at the victim's house and workplace, looking for sex. Elsewhere, perpetrators are engaging in image-based sexual abuse. People might threaten to release intimate pictures or vid- eos to retain control over their victim. In other instances we not- ed that perpetrators, in setting up fake social media profiles of their victims, have used these to disseminate intimate images of their victims. Other means of distributing these materials have been to send them directly to friends, family, and employers, as well as publishing them pub- licly online. The term "revenge porn" is widely understood as the sharing or distribution of nude or sexual images by jilted ex-lovers whose primary motivations are revenge or retribution. It does not, how- ever, capture the full range of motivations under which perpe- trators might be operating, from blackmail and extortion to con- trol, sexual gratification, voyeur- ism, social-status building and monetary gain. It also focuses attention on the content of the image, rather than on the abu- sive actions of perpetrators who misuse nude or sexual images. Technological abuse does not require IT proficiency. Perpetra- tors are using everyday, afforda- ble, accessible tech. What we need is a better, more accurate definition of what constitutes domestic abuse and support ser- vices that are equipped to deal with it. As one charity worker we spoke to put it: We know that domestic vio- lence takes place online as well, but our service provisions tend to be very much shelters, work- ers, keyworkers, support of- ficers, social workers who deal with the physical act and taking people out of a situation. But when you talk about a phone and other digital devices, I don't think we're there yet. How tech is driving new forms of domestic abuse Smart tech and apps designed for legitimate purposes can be misused