Black spots in cyberspace?

Abstract

Central themes of this book have revolved around rethinking sovereignty and the global economy. What happens when we introduce the notion of cyberspace, a domain that appears to eliminate political jurisdictions and to move globalization to a new level? Do black spots become less relevant to the study of illicit activities as criminals, insurgents, and terrorists increasingly adopt cyber-technology? Or are black spots just as likely to be found in this so-called virtual world in ways similar to the physical world of states? This chapter explores if there are black spots in cyberspace. We start by introducing the concept of cyberspace and exploring how it relates to the illicit world. Of interest are the various ways criminal actors use cyber-technology to enhance their operations. In other words, are illicit activities changing in response to the evolution of cyberspace? Building on this discussion, we show the relevance of the notion of black spots to cyberspace and provide examples of their impact.