Cyberpredators and Their Prey

The online environment has emerged as a continuous and unfettered source of interpersonal criminal activity beyond physical boundaries. Cyberpredators commit their crimes by employing the Internet and online services-social network platforms, online groups and organizations, smart phone apps, bulletin board systems, online forums, websites, internet relay chat channels-to locate and harm victims of all ages through attacking, exploiting, humiliating, bullying, harassing, threatening, defrauding, and extorting.

Cyberpredators and Their Prey describes non-sexual and sexual interpersonal crimes-online romance scam, swatting, trolling, stalking, bullying, harassment, minor sexting, sexual trafficking, child sexual abuse material, sextortion, and image-based sexual abuse offenses. Each chapter contains: crime definition and relevant issues; typical cyberpredator, motives, and methods; typical victims and behaviors that make them targets; current criminal laws for prosecuting cybercrimes and assessment of their applicability and effectiveness as deterrents; the crime's impact on individual victims and society in general; and cybersecurity prevention and intervention strategies. Also covered are the unique challenges that the regulation, investigation, and prosecution of these cybercrimes pose to criminal justice and private security agents worldwide; the need for society to hold companies operating online responsible for their role in cybercrime; and how aspects of the online environment (i.e., anonymity, toxic disinhibition, de-individuation, inculpability) contribute to harmful and abusive interpersonal interaction, particularly when enacted by perpetrators as part of a group attack.