ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Women are active participants in the world of social media, using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and more to connect, share, and communicate. Women often use these platforms to share their experiences, sharing photographs and statuses, engaging in online shopping activities, and establishing new connections. Unfortunately, women also face higher susceptibility to various forms of cybercrime victimization due to the dynamics of online spaces. Women can be targets of online harassment, including cyberbullying, threats and sexual harassment. The objective of this study is to investigate the propensity of adolescent females who fall prey to cybercriminal activities as a result of their engagement with social media platforms. The research employs for quantitative and qualitative method. A total of 137 young women (18 – 29 years old) completed a survey questionnaire, while ten individuals were subjected to in-depth interviews. Random and purposive sampling methods were employed in this study to acquire a study sample from the women who stay at Penang, Malaysia. This study employs descriptive analysis and content analysis as the primary methods of analysis. The study revealed that there were two specific behaviours that rendered women susceptible to cybercrime. Specifically, 55.5% of the participants fell victim to cybercrime as a result of engaging in chatting activities, while 48.1% of the respondents experienced victimisation due to browsing Facebook activities. Based on the research findings, a major percentage of participants (42.2%) indicated that they have experienced cybercrime due to easy accepting new friends thru Facebook. Further research can be conducted pertaining to vulnerable groups, specifically children and the elderly, who experience victimisation in cybercrime. This behaviour could potentially be attributed to the susceptibility of children, who are vulnerable to being exploited and groomed in the online environment. The incidence of cybercrime targeting older people also is on increasing in Malaysia. Hence, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive examination of this vulnerable groups. This study makes a valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge on the current cybercrime landscape targeting young women. Its findings have the potential to assist stakeholders in effectively managing and mitigating the risk of young women falling victim to cybercrime.
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(Ghani & Bakar, 2023)
To Cite this Article: Ghani, N. M., & Bakar, M. A. A. (2023). Women’s Engagement in Social Media and their Susceptibility to Cybercrime Victimisation. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(9), 480– 493.
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