Politics must not come in the way of tackling cybercrime

The Internet used to be compared to a town square, where everyone gathered to buy things, shared gossip, showcased talent or hawked products. It is a lot more than that nowadays, because the “town square” follows you everywhere and it never sleeps. This makes cybercrime – scary a few years ago – even scarier now. The criminals are probably spoiled for choice at the moment, thanks to the abundance of potential victims and applicable tools.
In Thailand, politics is also helping the criminals more or less, as measures to fight cybercrime are often politicised. Worse still, politicisation is not limited to anyone or any group. One side may be tempted to use anti-cybercrime measures to clamp down on political opponents, whereas the other side may decry totally justified anti-crime action as an attempt to “silence dissent”. This has complicated efforts in Thailand to tackle cyberspace prowlers.
However, a recent disclosure reiterated the need for something to really be done. According to the Allianz Global Corporate and Speciality (AGCS), Thailand is the world’s number two target for cybercrime. Last year, almost 20 per cent of cybercrime victims in this country reported a total loss of Bt3 million, while four per cent lost between Bt30 million up to Bt3 billion each. The AGCS reported a sharp rise in cybercrime incidents in Thailand over the past two years, making the country jump from the fourth to second place in the unenviable global ranking.
There are many types of cybercrime, and a lot of them target individuals who are either unaware or don’t help themselves by using illegal or outdated software and/or devices. Education has to be provided by the state, along with regular campaigns on a national scale. In countries like Thailand, where
pirated software is commonly used, both awareness and technical
campaigns, which must be “user-friendly”, are very important.
The government cannot afford to let its guard down. Even state offices have not been exempt from attacks by cyber-criminals, though some of them would rather call themselves activists whose intention was just to send a message or mock the state. And yet state agencies and individuals are by no means the only targets.
One way or another, companies have lost billions through a few illegal clicks of the keyboard. A big percentage of firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand became victims of cyber-frauds that involved both insiders and outsiders. Apart from government offices, business companies and individuals, foreigners can be easy prey, and it can be a little tricky to try to help this group of victims.
A complicated and very delicate situation concerns foreigners, who are not immune to cyber-hacking but who are also very sensitive when it comes to Internet control measures. In a recent incident, there was a reported leak of private details of hundreds of expats and foreigners living in southern Thailand.
Politicisation benefits hackers and other criminals, as complaints against measures are often amplified on social media and that gives those with ill intention a head start. Complaints, justified or not, enable the criminals to know what they are dealing with and figure out ways to get around measures. Better still, some complaints led to certain measures being scrapped entirely.
However, de-politicising the issue of cybercrime is easier said than done, especially in Thailand, where a lot of political activism takes place on the Internet. But the country’s continuous climb on the cybercrime index is a rallying call for everyone to join hands. After all, real thieves are not “selective” when it comes to what or from whom they steal, so lack of action will mean they are the only winners while the rest lose.