how social change leads to changes in the law - technology laws

Question 1

what is CYBER FLASHING?

Answer 1

an offender sending an unsolicited explicit image to people via an online platform

Question 2

what ACT came into place to protect people against CYBER FLASHING?

Answer 2

ONLINE SAFETY ACT 2024 - cyber flashing is now a serious criminal offence

Question 3

explain how social changes affect policy development (6 MARKS)

Answer 3

• The nature of crime has changed as a result of a changing society and consequently changes in law or policy
• Technological crimes are 21st century crimes. The numbers have significantly increased as a result of developing technology and the availability of the internet
• Crimes that have once taken place face to face are now taking place over the internet
• For example, theft, hacking, identity fraud, and cyber-bullying
• A lot of technological crimes did not exist 20 years ago
• Crimes like phishing, hacking, electronic harassment, and up-skirting are new crimes due to advances in technology
• As the types of crimes change, so do policies to deal with such activities
• The COMPUTER MISUSE ACT (1990) was introduced to deal with such criminal activity, as was the more recent VOYEURISM (OFFENCES) ACT 2019 to combat new crimes such as up-skirting
• The ONLINE SAFETY ACT 2024 has now made the new crime cyber-flashing a serious criminal offence