Dr Leonie Tanczer to investigate tech-abuse prosecutions under the Computer Misuse Act

Tech abuse is described as the subversion of “every day” digital technological systems, such as computers, smartphones, apps and cameras, to coerce, control, and harm a person or group of individuals. It is estimated that nearly 85% of victims and survivors of domestic violence are subjected to some form of tech abuse, which can include hacking into someone’s phone or installing spyware on a device. However, crimes that involve tech-abuse are often not considered domestic abuse offences, with many prosecuted in court under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. 

The project, which is led by Dr Leonie Tanczer, Lecturer in International Security and Emerging Technologies in UCL STEaPP, will examine both legal and news archives, alongside interviews with academics and legal professionals, to evaluate how the Computer Misuse Act 1990 in England and Wales is used in the prosecution of technology-facilitated abuse. This in-depth analysis will give law enforcement agencies and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) a powerful tool to charge tech abusers and help the research and practitioner community to develop an awareness of the types of digital systems that are abused. The multi-disciplinary team working on the project includes Professor Shane Johnson, Director of the UCL Dawes Centre for Future Crime, Francesca Stevens, UCL STEaPP and City, University of London, and Frances Ridout, Queen Mary, University of London.

The project has been funded through the REPHRAIN National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online. The Centre, which is led by the University of Bristol, focuses on the protection of citizens online while allowing them to safely engage in digital technologies.

Awais Rashid, Director of REPHRAIN, said: "Online harms arising from privacy violations and victimisation of citizens pose a major challenge for our society. The new projects funded by REPHRAIN tackle some of the most critical challenges in this regard - from protecting victims of human trafficking and domestic violence to countering hate speech and mitigating the harmful impacts of medical misinformation online.

“Digital technologies pervade our lives and we derive immense benefits from the connectivity and services they deliver. This new tranche of projects ensures that we also continue to tackle the misuses of such technologies and empower citizens to protect themselves and their privacy online."

Source 

University of Bristol

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