ABSTRACT

This study tests the assumptions of the routine activity theory on three online forms of victimization: computer virus, online fraud, and unauthorized use of personal data. Data come from a representative victimization survey conducted in the Swiss city of Lugano from January 2019 to April 2019. The analysis resulted in the following conclusions. First, victims are more common among regular internet and social media users, independent of the type of crime. Second, the installation of an antivirus program is more likely to work as a protective measure to detect and disarm digital threats rather than a preventive measure that reduces the opportunity for crime to occur. Third, computer literacy is associated with a lower risk of malware victimization. Fourth, users’ characteristics partially reflect differences in internet consumption. These findings are consistent across different specifications.

摘要

本研究测试了常规活动理论对三种在线受害形式的假设：计算机病毒、在线欺诈和未经授权使用个人数据。数据来自 2019 年 1 月至 2019 年 4 月在瑞士卢加诺市进行的代表性受害调查。分析得出以下结论。首先，受害者在普通互联网和社交媒体用户中更为常见，与犯罪类型无关。其次，安装防病毒程序更有可能作为检测和解除数字威胁的保护措施，而不是减少犯罪发生机会的预防措施。第三，计算机知识与较低的恶意软件受害风险相关。第四，用户特征部分反映了互联网消费的差异。