Risks related to illegal content in cybercrime and cyberterrorism research

Abstract

What follows here is an examination of the risks and issues related to illegal content within, and related to, the context of cybercrime and cyberterrorism research. Before any useful analysis can take place, it is necessary to create an understanding of the subject matter; therein lies the first challenge. The problem of establishing what the term ‘illegal content’ encompasses is addressed throughout. By outlining the particular relevance of illegal content with regard to research, we set out the key considerations which will assist in understanding what is required to successfully carry out valuable research and to understand the possible limitations. Some of these are related to the fact that the nature of much illegal content means that victim considerations are of utmost importance. Just as there is no specific definition of illegal content, there is no specific legislation addressing this type of criminal activity, therefore a wide range is presented and considered, which further assists in illustrating different perspectives. Countries too, have different perspectives and an in-depth examination of two of them reveal both similarities and differences. The general conclusion draws together the findings and the issues that have been addressed and provides a holistic view of the main points before key recommendations are presented.