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Blog Post 1 – Cyberbullying & Online Abuse: The Case of Dolly Everett (2018)

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Dolly Everett, 14, died tragically in the Northern Territory in January 2018, shocking  Australia.Dolly committed herself after being subjected to ongoing cyberbullying, underscoring the terrible psychological effects of internet harassment on adolescents.With damaging content fast spreading across networks, social media—which was intended to promote connection—unintentionally allowed abuse to escalate unchecked.

The impact of cyberbullying on mental health is well established.Suicidal thoughts, social disengagement, anxiety, and sadness are common among victims.
Peer pressure, online anonymity, and teenage fragility all work together to magnify harm, as demonstrated by Dolly's case.

The criminological perspective provided by Routine Activity Theory (RAT) helps to explain cyberbullying.Cohen and Felson (1979) contend that the intersection of a suitable target, a motivated offender, and incompetent guardianship results in crime. High-risk targets are teenagers who use social media, and criminals can act without fear of        repercussions due to anonymity.Guardianship is further diminished by inadequate parental oversight and deficiencies in digital literacy, which foster abuse.

Along with RAT, Social Learning Theory (SLT) contributes to the understanding of why teenagers commit acts of online harassment.When aggressive acts are normalized by peers or online groups, they can be reinforced and then replicated and magnified on social media platforms.The contextual and learned aspects of cyber abuse are both highlighted by this dual-theory approach.

Risk is increased by social media's design. According to the Human Rights Commission, features like tagging, sharing, and algorithmic prioritizing of interesting information unintentionally encourage negative interactions and increase visibility outside of one's personal social circles. Recovery is hampered by the ongoing online presence, which feeds the victimization cycle.

Australia has responded by enacting social and legal measures. Police in New South Wales have the authority to issue apprehended violence orders (AVOs) against internet harassers, and "Dolly's Law" permits fines and criminal penalties for sending threatening electronic messages.

The eSafety Commissioner now has more power to assist victims and delete unsafe content.

These reactions are mostly reactive, though. Equally important is early intervention through education, school-based programs, and digital literacy projects. According to Charles Sturt University's General Strain Theory and Cyberbullying, proactive strategies such as encouraging resilience, critical online thinking, and parental involvement are more successful in minimizing harm than punitive ones alone.

Since delayed moderation and engagement-focused algorithms increase exposure to hazardous information, social media corporations share part of the blame. (ACMA).

Cybercrime is human-centered, with significant emotional and societal repercussions, as demonstrated by Dolly Everett's narrative. A holistic approach is needed to prevent repeat deaths, including platform responsibility, education, enhanced guardianship, and legal reform. In Australia, her impact is still influencing public awareness, research, and legislation, highlighting the value of teamwork in protecting children online.

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Blog Post 2 – Online Abuse in Australia: The Case of Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed

In Australia, online abuse has grown to be a serious problem, especially when it comes to sextortion, in which criminals use pressure or threats to trick victims into committing sexually explicit activities.

Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, a 29-year-old Perth resident, was implicated in one of the worst incidents in recent Australian   history. He used social media to take advantage of 286 victims, including 180 youngsters from 20 different countries.This case is historic in the field of digital criminology since Rasheed first acquired the trust of his victims by posing as a youthful influencer before turning to threats and sexual coercion. (AFP).

Rasheed mostly targeted young girls on several social media platforms between 2018 and 2019.Using live streaming and video communications, he forced them to perform sexually    explicit behaviours, threatening to show their friends and family their private photos or videos if they didn't comply.Over the course of eleven months, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) discovered more   than 550 occurrences with the help of foreign organizations including Interpol and the. U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

This extensive investigation revealed young people's susceptibilities to online predators as well as the scope of crimes made possible by cyberspace.

Rasheed was prosecuted legally under sections 474.17 and 474.17A of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth), which make it illegal to use a carriage service to threaten, harass, or cause offense, including threatening to disseminate pornographic content. Law enforcement can effectively respond to digital abuse and safeguard vulnerable individuals thanks to these rules, which represent Australia's changing approach to cybercrime. (Legislation.gov.au).

Routine Activity Theory (RAT) provides a criminological explanation to describe how Rasheed's crimes could have occurred. He was a driven criminal who targeted appropriate victims—children and teenagers who used social media—where recurrent abuse was made possible by a lack of capable guardians, including inadequate parental supervision and a lack of digital literacy. The crime's cyber-enabled aspect increased damage because social media's viral potential, live streaming, and private messaging allowed for ongoing pressure and manipulation.  (AIC – Cybercrime in Australia).

It had a significant effect on the victims. Social disengagement, anxiety, despair, and trauma are frequently caused by sextortion. To stop such exploitation and lessen harm to potential victims in the future, the AFP, the eSafety Commissioner, and other groups have responded by stressing the value of education, digital literacy, and victim support programs. In order to lower the risk of online exploitation, experts called for proactive monitoring, content moderation, and enhanced reporting options on social media platforms. The case also sparked crucial conversations regarding platform accountability.

In Australia's battle against cyberbullying, Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed's conviction marks a turning point. In addition to highlighting the necessity of an integrated response combining law enforcement, international collaboration, digital literacy education, and platform accountability, it shows that cybercrime is human-centered and has serious real-world repercussions. Cases like Rasheed's highlight the need for vigilance as technology advances in order to safeguard vulnerable groups online and stop such heinous crimes from happening again.

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WA man jailed for sextortion of 286 victims | Australian Federal Police

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A Perth man who coerced 286 victims - including 180 children - from 20 different countries into performing sexually explicit acts on camera or video, has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment.

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Blog Post 3 – Phishing & Email Fraud: The 2020 Australian Banking Phishing Attacks

In 2020, one of the biggest and best-planned phishing scams in Australian history affected the country's citizens. More than 20,000 people were tricked by phony emails and SMS messages that looked like official correspondence from big institutions. These communications included links to fake websites that were meant to steal financial information and personal login passwords. This incident brought to light Australia's digital financial system's weaknesses as well as the complexity of online fraud.Although phishing is not new, the 2020 banking scam's scope and accuracy were concerning.

States with almost 59,800 cybercrime occurrences recorded nationwide in 2019–20, phishing was the most common cybercrime.

In addition, phishing reports increased by 75%, and fraud losses topped $851 million. These numbers show that phishing is widespread and becoming more costly for consumers, businesses, and the financial system as a whole.

Phishing can be analyzed criminologically using Routine Activity Theory. Offenders take advantage of common internet banking habits. During the COVID-19 epidemic, Australians were more reliant on digital transactions, creating an atmosphere conducive to offenders acting when guardianship was low and motivated offenders were high. Research reveals that phishing is effective because of its psychological manipulation, which exploits fear, urgency, and trust.

The technical sophistication of phishing attempts has also improved. A thorough review published in Frontiers in Computer Science.

Divides the anatomy of phishing into three stages: bait, hook, and catch. This resembles old fraud strategies, but with new digital distribution systems that improve reach and speed. Furthermore, phishing represents a systemic risk to the financial system rather than just a criminal offense against individuals. Weaknesses in cybersecurity governance and financial infrastructure exacerbate vulnerability to similar assaults.

The date of the 2020 phishing assaults was not a coincidence. During the early phases of the COVID-19 epidemic, cybercriminals took advantage of fear and uncertainty to conduct record numbers of attacks. According to studies, phishing activity increased by more than 220% globally from March to April 2020 as attackers took advantage of the crisis.

This is consistent with a tendency known as "opportunistic cybercrime," in which perpetrators alter their techniques to take advantage of societal disruptions.

Addressing phishing necessitates sophisticated governance and legal measures.

It was discovered that knowledge, digital literacy, and institutional protections all increase vulnerability to phishing. Preventive measures must therefore go beyond technology to include education, behavioural interventions, and regulatory control. Peer-reviewed criminological research also stresses governance problems, highlighting that long-term prevention requires worldwide cooperation and service providers' accountability.

The 2020 Australian banks phishing attacks are a sharp reminder that cyber fraud is dynamic and ever-changing. Criminology helps us understand why individuals become victims, whereas cybersecurity governance explains structural weaknesses. Justice remedies must consequently include law enforcement action, regulatory reform, and public awareness efforts.

As Australians increasingly embrace digital banking, phishing will remain a chronic danger. What makes the 2020 case remarkable is not only the number of victims, but also how it showed flaws in both human behaviour and institutional safety. To effectively combat phishing, we must recognize it as more than just a technological crime; it is a social, economic, and criminological issue that necessitates a concerted response.

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Blog Post 4 – Online Hate & Extremism: Brenton Tarrant and the Christchurch Livestream (2019)

Brenton Tarrant, an Australian citizen from Grafton, NSW, killed 51 people and injured dozens more in the Christchurch Mosque shootings in March 2019, shocking the world. While the incident took place in New Zealand, Tarrant used Facebook to livestream his crimes, spreading hate and bloodshed through digital media. The incident had far-reaching implications in Australia, including legal reform, online content control, and increased attention to cyber-enabled extremism.

Tarrant's acts demonstrate the cyber-enabled aspect of contemporary terrorism. The livestream enabled the real-time distribution of violent content, magnifying its psychological impact beyond physical boundaries. The attack shows how internet technology can be used to radicalize, frighten, and recruit people, raising concerns about the effectiveness of Australian and international legal frameworks.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT) is a criminological theory that helps explain how online extremism can grow. The theory holds that crime happens when a motivated offender encounters a suitable target in the absence of capable guardianship.

In this scenario:

• Tarrant was motivated by white nationalist ideology and targeted global Muslim communities and internet audiences.

• Inadequate moderation on social media platforms led to the development of livestreams.

Furthermore, radicalization theories describe how exposure to extremist content online promotes ideological adoption and inspires violent behavior. Tarrant's widespread use of far-right forums, manifestos, and encrypted social media groups allowed for ideologically motivated cyber-enabled violence, exposing the international threats of digital extremism.

The Australian legal response was quick and precise. Following the broadcast, Australia passed the Criminal Code Amendment (Sharing of Abhorrent Violent Material) Act 2019 (Cth), making the online sharing of terrorist or abhorrent violent content a crime. Social media platforms were forced to rapidly remove livestreams and strengthen content management. The act takes a preventative approach to digital extremism, with the goal of reducing exposure and potential radicalization.

Despite these revisions, obstacles remain. Extremist content persists on encrypted channels, peer-to-peer sharing networks, and new platforms. Legal measures alone will not eradicate the possibility of radicalization. Experts recommend a comprehensive approach that includes education, community participation, social media collaboration, and cyber-monitoring.

The case also highlights the psychological and social ramifications of cyber-enabled extremism. Exposure to violent content can lead to community trauma, desensitization, and fear. Media coverage and social media sharing can unintentionally promote extremist beliefs, cause a moral panic and influence policy discussions.

Brenton Tarrant's Christchurch webcast depicts the convergence of modern technology and violent extremism. Applying criminological theories, such as Routine Activity Theory and radicalization frameworks, sheds light on how cyber-enabled crimes arise and spread. Australian legislation measures show a proactive approach to limiting online harm, but continuing monitoring, international cooperation, and education are still necessary to combat digital extremism.

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Blog Post 5 The 2020 BTC Markets Data Breach: An Academic Analysis

In December 2020, BTC Markets, Australia's largest cryptocurrency exchange, unintentionally disclosed the personal information of approximately 270,000 members. The hack was caused by a marketing email error, highlighting serious weaknesses in the cryptocurrency industry and serving as a critical case study in organizational carelessness and cybersecurity management.

BTC Markets released a marketing email on December 1, 2020, announcing the launch of new USDT trading pairs. A technical error resulted in each recipient receiving a list of 999 other users' names and email addresses. This blunder unintentionally exposed sensitive personal information for approximately 270,000 consumers, including complete names and email addresses.

The incident highlighted that even trusted exchanges are vulnerable to human error and technology mismanagement.

The data breach provided enough opportunity for phishing and social engineering attempts. Malicious actors could exploit the exposed data to imitate BTC Markets and trick users into disclosing passwords, private keys, or transferring cryptocurrency (CryptoNews, 2020). Furthermore, because BTC Markets employs email addresses as usernames, the breach enhanced the possibility of account compromise, emphasizing the systemic vulnerabilities of centralized account administration in bitcoin exchanges.

BTC Markets replied by issuing a public apology and reporting the matter to the Australian Information Commissioner. The company also undertook an internal investigation to establish the fundamental reasons of the incident, and it introduced improved email handling methods and better user authentication procedures.

These mitigating techniques align with the industry's broader requirement for proactive cybersecurity governance.

This breach highlights the vital need of strong data management policies in the bitcoin industry. The expose shows operational oversights that may harm user trust and the sector's reputation. To avoid similar incidents in the future, cryptocurrency exchanges should invest in secure email protocols, multi-factor authentication, and frequent staff training. The event also shows the interdependence of technology, organizational behaviours, and cybersecurity results in financial technology systems.

From a criminological theory, the breach is an example of organizational imprudence, in which flaws in internal procedures can lead to injury. According to Routine Activity Theory, the exposed data gave motivated offenders (phishers), a vulnerable target (users), and weak organizational control, producing ideal conditions for cybercrime (Frontiers in Physics, 2020). This investigation shows how theoretical frameworks can shed light on real-world cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The BTC Markets 2020 data leak demonstrates the critical need for good cybersecurity policies in the cryptocurrency business. Organizational incompetence, human error, and insufficient technology safeguards all contributed to the loss of critical information. This incident emphasizes the importance of ongoing monitoring, strong operating protocols, and a proactive cybersecurity culture. By learning from this compromise, bitcoin exchanges may boost their resilience and sustain customer trust in an increasingly digitized financial sector (DBDigest, 2020).