Infodemic: How Cybercrimes Skyrocketed during Covid-19

  • Mansi Gupta and Vaishali Gaurha
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  • Mansi Gupta

    Student at University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India

  • Vaishali Gaurha

    Student at University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India

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Abstract

The article titled “Infodemic: How Cybercrimes skyrocketed during Covid-19” derives our focus on how the enhanced dependence of people over the past year because of the prevailing situation of the Sars Covid-19 has led us to another pandemic. Every field, be it education, corporate sector, health-line services, groceries, trading etc. became virtual. As our focus has been shifted to the health crisis, cybercriminals have got an opportunity to attack networks, businesses and global organizations. As a result of individuals spending more time online and the situation of chaos, fear and anxiety, cybercriminals tend to take advantage and attack their targets globally. Taking advantage of this situation, many criminals have resorted to spreading misinformation, false propagandas and distrust in governments. We have seen many false theories and conspiracy theories throughout the pandemic be it associated with curing the virus from drinking sanitizers, the myths about Hydrochloroxyquine or ultra-violet rays and not to forget various political propagandas. This is the reason it has been named “infodemic” by WHO director because this is the pandemic of misinformation too. Misinformation and disinformation concerning the virus still unfold primarily through social media and encrypted electronic messaging services. The article will ponder upon how the big social media giants are prepared to deal this situation. Cyber safety is not an issue that is restricted to a particular nation rather it is a concern of international level. Cybercrimes just like the corona virus have a very high rate of transmission and are not restricted by national boundaries. Therefore, all the countries must fight against it at the international level and must assent to the programmes and conventions passed by the inter-governmental bodies. As technology is an inevitable part of our lives these days, we must also take all the precautions and protective measure necessary to protect ourselves from the wrongdoers. Whether technology becomes a bane or a boon for us is in our hands and with due diligence and precautions it can act as the greatest tool for economic growth and development. The aim of the current article is to recognize the relationship between the novel corona virus and increase in the cybercrime activities, what has the role of international bodies been significant in combating the cybercrimes and how pandemic has contributed to it and how it has been used to create false agendas, misinformation and distrust in the governments across the world and what could the necessary precautions for it.

Type

Research Paper

Information

International Journal of Law Management and Humanities, Volume 4, Issue 3, Page 4987 - 4996

DOI: https://doij.org/10.10000/IJLMH.111018

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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution -NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits remixing, adapting, and building upon the work for non-commercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.

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