ABSTRACT

Using representative survey data from Canada, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and five European Union member countries (n= 9,011), this paper predicts the use of privacy-enhancing technologies and techniques as a form of individual target hardening behavior. It presents a novel extension of routine activity theory by revisiting the theory from the perspective of Internet users in their efforts to minimize their likelihood of victimization. The results show that perceived concern and exposure to certain motivated offenders leads to target hardening behaviors, such as using two-factor authentication and antivirus software. Encryption communication services, however, were not associated with concern for any combination of motivated offenders. Moreover, perceived deficiencies in governmental but not company guardianship predicted new protective behaviors.

摘要

使用来自加拿大、美国、澳大利亚、英国和五个欧盟成员国的代表性调查数据（n= 9,011），本文预测隐私增强技术和技术的使用作为个体目标强化行为的一种形式。它通过从互联网用户的角度重新审视该理论，以尽量减少他们受害的可能性，从而提出了日常活动理论的新扩展。结果表明，对某些有动机的犯罪者的感知关注和暴露会导致目标强化行为，例如使用双因素身份验证和防病毒软件。然而，加密通信服务与对任何有动机的犯罪者组合的关注无关。此外，政府监管而非公司监管的缺陷预示着新的保护行为。