CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Cyber-crime can likewise be described as digital crime which is considered to be any illegal act that makes use of a computer system, phones and computer network in carrying out a crime to or against an individual, property (Matthews, 2010; Babu, 2004). Cybercrime has increased in severity and regularity in the recent years thus it has ended up being a significant issue for firms, schools and organizations (Chauhan, 2012). The introduction of numerous online applications and abundance of dangers to the use of social media nowadays had put users in greater potential to online related risks. A variety of criminal activities take place like cyberbullying, online scams, addiction towards gaming and betting and pornography are amongst the risks that online users might be subjected to in their everyday life (Khalid, Daud, Rahman, & Nasir, 2018).
There is scientific proof confirming that Internet addiction might be a reason for cybercrime. Oskenbay et al. (2015) and Suler (2004) have revealed that usage as chat rooms, information and internet searches, likewise scientific research does not go beyond 2%, and the remaining percentage was between different websites. The social media addiction sensation gives rise to new actions species as cyber-behaviors, Cyber extortion, Cyber-blackmail, Cyber-harassment, Cyber-smearing, Cyberstalking, and Cyber-teasing. Gambling addiction, cybersex or pornography addiction, and cyber-relationships addiction helps us draw the inspiration classification that materializes a detailed solution to lower cybercrime (Aiken, 2017; Mishra et al., 2014). It is likewise feared that dwelling excessive on cyber behaviors in some directions brings about narcissism, ego expansion, self-image improvement, as well as the individual's tendency to self-absorption.
Perlmutter (2019) disclosed that social media has ended up being deep-rooted into many people's lives and is usually referenced in news reports. For example, research carried out by Smith and Anderson (2019) on social media use in 2018 reveals that 74% of Facebook users in the US disclosed that they visit the site everyday with 51% visiting a number of times a day. This regularity in its use makes social media an extremely convenient environment for the criminally minded individuals and a possibly unsafe environment for other users without any criminal intent. Supporting this assertion likewise, researchers from CISCO have maintained that Facebook has ended up being a host to a great number of busy marketplaces and interactions used by cyber-criminals to buy and sell stolen goods.
Social media use does not only provide cyber-thieves with a fertile ground for their dubious tasks but likewise makes other individuals become subjected or susceptible to cybercrime. This occurs particularly when they place important personal or corporate information on social media sites; interact with some other social media users that might be known or unknown to them; click on certain links that are placed on social networks sites by some other users who operate under different guises. In GoMedia, it is noted that social media networks like Facebook might appear safe, however by making data about oneself public, people end up putting themselves and those around them at risk.
University students happen to be amongst one of the most predominant users of social media, and it might be reasonable to assume that they might likewise constitute part of the biggest populations with the highest vulnerability to cybercrime. Given the widespread use of social networks by people from all walks of life, and given the regularity and ease with which cybercriminals browse and position themselves on social media, one begins to marvel how susceptible or how exposed social media users are to cybercrimes around the world and Nigeria specifically. Therefore, the preoccupation of this study is to examine the of the social media in promoting cybercrimes among undergraduates using students from University of Benin, Edo State as a case study.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
The higher learning institutions are embracing ICT and considerably this has resulted in an increase in the use of ICT and the Internet. They have high expectations for the positive effect of their investment, but have yet to enjoy high turnover. The internet creates limitless opportunities for higher learning institutions to improve the e-learning, communication, sharing of file, online learning and other endless services. There are numerous cyber security concerns that have to be dealt with over the use of the social network by the university students most of the user are not aware of the crimes and thus they become a weak link of attack. With the number of cases of theft, phishing, computer viruses, hacking, Recognizing the risk of cybercrimes is a very significant issue since technology holds a great effect on our nation as a whole, hence the study intends to investigate the role of the social media in promoting cybercrimes among undergraduates using students from University of Benin, Edo State as a case study.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is to find out the role of the social media in promoting cybercrimes among undergraduates using students from University of Benin, Edo State as a case study.
I. To determine study various forms of cybercrimes performed on social media
II. To investigate the effects technological innovation on cybercrime through social media usage among students of University of Benin.
- To understand the extent to which social media use exposes undergraduate students to cybercrimes in University of Benin.
1.4 Research Questions
The research questions that will guide this study include:
i) What are the various forms of cybercrimes performed on social media?
ii) What are the effects technological innovation on cybercrime through social media usage among students of University of Benin?
iii) What is the extent to which social media use exposes undergraduate students to cybercrimes in University of Benin?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The research hypotheses that will guide this study include:
i) There is a significant relationship between technological innovation and cybercrime through social media usage among students of University of Benin.
ii) There is no significant relationship between social media use and exposure of undergraduate students to cybercrimes in University of Benin.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will help undergraduate students in Nigeria to understand in depth the effects of cybercrime. The study will also give undergraduate students in Nigeria practical insights in cybercrime management, especially the need to implement more effective cybercrime countermeasures.
The information generated in the course of this study would be crucial to policymakers as it would guide them in formulating policies and strategies that affect individual end users of the internet. This research offers appropriate data to information security experts that would be used to determine how to deal with the menace of cybercrime in our society.
The research will also contribute to the body of knowledge on usage of social media and cybercrime threats; cybercrime and cyber security countermeasures. Additional written material on the ideas of social media and cybercrime will be used by academics, scholars and researchers. The study is also expected to give cyber security development engineers with better solutions to take care of the necessities and worries of their users.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study is addressing the role of the social media in promoting cybercrimes among undergraduates in Nigeria, a case study of University of University of Benin, Edo State. The study pointed University of Benin, Edo State only because of the availability of data that could be helpful to this study.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
A major limitation of the study is the samples were only from University of Benin, Edo State where it was chosen as the area in carrying out this research. This finding is based on the results gathered from students of University of Benin, Edo State the role of the social media in promoting cybercrimes among undergraduates in Nigeria.
