ABSTRACT

Routine activity theory suggests that crime occurs when a motivated offender meets a suitable target and no capable guardian is present. In identity theft that occurs online, potential victims can sometimes act as their own guardians. Self-protection strategies, such as identity theft monitoring software, can be implemented by potential victims to act as guardians against identity theft. Little is known about the situations when a suitable target becomes their own guardian. This article seeks to understand this situation by looking at self-protection behaviors after the Equifax breach of 2017. Using data from a North Carolina Poll Survey, we examine self-protection measures implemented following this potential victimization. When do individuals enact their own self-guardian behaviors? We find that measures of computer use do not predict whether an individual will enact self-protection measures following the Equifax breach. Rather, we find that negative emotions around identity theft lead individuals to enact self-protection measures.

摘要

日常活动理论表明，当有动机的犯罪者遇到合适的目标并且没有有能力的监护人在场时，就会发生犯罪。在网上发生的身份盗窃中，潜在的受害者有时可以充当自己的监护人。自我保护策略，例如身份盗用监控软件，可以由潜在受害者实施，充当身份盗用的守护者。关于合适的目标成为自己的监护人的情况知之甚少。本文试图通过查看 2017 年 Equifax 泄露事件后的自我保护行为来了解这种情况。我们使用北卡罗来纳州民意调查的数据，研究在这种潜在受害之后实施的自我保护措施。个人何时制定自己的自我保护行为？我们发现，计算机使用的措施并不能预测个人是否会在 Equifax 违规后制定自我保护措施。相反，我们发现围绕身份盗窃的负面情绪会导致个人制定自我保护措施。