Before the development of information and communication technology, social connections were confined by narrow cultural borders. User-generated multimodal information, online social networks, and rich data related to human behavior have all undergone a revolution as a result of these social technologies. However, the abuse of social technology, such as social media platforms, has given rise to a brand-new type of cyber-crimes such as cyberbullying, cyberstalking, cyber trolling, identity theft, etc. Such crimes result in a breach of privacy, a security lapse, financial fraud, and harm to public mental health and property. This chapter discusses various automated methods and systems driven by machine learning, deep learning, and fuzzy-logic-based algorithms for tackling various types of cybercrimes on various social media platforms. It then highlights various issues and challenges pertaining to the existing methods, which offer new study avenues for researchers to investigate.
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With the development of the Internet, the usage of communication technologies such as social media platforms have increased dramatically over time and has emerged as the most powerful networking tool of the twenty-first century. Moreover, 4.26 billion individuals utilized social media globally in 2021, with that figure likely to climb to around six billion by 2027 as can be seen in Figure 1. (S. Dixon, 2022). Communication technologies have completely altered the communicational landscape which has resulted in replacing traditional forms of crime with technological ones called Cybercrimes. Cybercrime can be committed utilizing computers or other communication devices to terrorize victims, inflict harm on them, or destroy their property. Cybercrime damages the world economy between US$375 billion and $575 billion per year, according to one estimate1. Broadly, a cyber-criminal can commit a crime either using a computer as a target or using a computer as a tool (Al-Khater et al., 2020).
Figure 1. Global social network user numbers from 2018 to 2022, with estimations for 2023 to 2027
Some examples of cybercrimes where computers are targets and computers are used as a tool to commit crimes are shown in Figure 2. In this chapter, we will be discussing the crimes where computers are used as a tool to conduct crimes that include cyberstalking, cyberbullying, cyber trolling, and identity theft.
Cybercrime, such as cyber trolling, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, and identity theft, can have a negative influence on a victim's physical, emotional, or educational progress. Cyber victims are more prone to experience depression and anxiety, along with school avoidance and poor academic performance. Additionally, the victims of cybercrime have been observed to report psychosomatic ailments such as headaches, stomachaches, bedwetting, and other issues more frequently. In cases of trolling and bullying, computer-based comments are more permanent than vocal ones since comments are saved on websites, internet archives, search engine caches, and user devices. It is easier Because of the difficulty in finding and identifying the offending party's misbehaviour, it is simpler to make nasty, embarrassing, or threatening comments on the Internet. It is also difficult to prove or authenticate the act of wrongdoing and impose a meaningful legal consequence. The global threat of cyber trolling, cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying, and identity theft is serious, and its assessment and prevention have become even more critical. This is because technology is becoming more universally available, internet subscriptions are getting more affordable, and politicians are pursuing and pushing the dream of a “Digital World” with zeal. Currently, most people have Internet access through a computer, tablet, or mobile device. Children and teenagers are the most vulnerable users because they are thrown into cyberspace before they have the mental capacity to comprehend it.
With the recent rise in stories concerning trolling, cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying, and identity theft including severe issues like self-harm and suicide and the frequent appearance of horrific newspaper headlines, these crimes have gained attention on a global scale. More than one-fifth of youth who experience online harassment admit to participating in it themselves, and two-thirds of those who observe others engaging in it also report seeing it themselves (Lenhart et al., 2011). In addition to children, adults frequently experience internet bullying. Trolls on the internet, also known as cyberbullies, have the power to harass and abuse a person without worrying about the consequences of their behaviour. Politicians, actors, and athletes frequently experience cyberbullying and acknowledge the distress it brings. However, there are no definite laws or regulations to deal with this complicated subject. The relevance of this topic in the contemporary context is being acknowledged by mainstream national TV networks, who are developing campaigns and shows like “Troll Police.”2