Response and Reporting of Cybercrimes in Pakistan – Mass Media as a Mean of Awareness, Prevention, and Protection
Abstract
The escalating popularity of the internet has contributed to the augmented rate of cybercrimes across the globe. Fromfinancial fraud to cyber bullying, nations, organizations, and individuals are commonly confronting the threats of cybercrimes. Pakistan has also recorded a substantial upsurge in the reported cases of cyber crimes during the last few years. The cybercrime cell working under the Federal investigation Agency is not only providing awareness to internetusers about identifying and reporting cybercrimes, but it also takes legal action against the people involved in such activities. Despite these efforts, there is insufficient awareness among the public about their cyber rights. This research paper focuses on the issue of cybercrimes and the response of internet users in Pakistan toward these acts. The data for the study has been collected through a survey conducted online among 250 internet users belonging to Pakistan. The data provide a picture of the current level of awareness among internet users about the reporting procedure for cybercrime and punishments for different crimes determined by the law. The paper also highlights various factors that discourage usersfrom reporting crimes and the response of users toward several types of cybercrimes. The discussion also underlines therole of traditional and new media in this context. The paper also proposes a communication plan to raise awareness and encourage cybercrime reporting in the country to abridge the pervasiveness of such acts.
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