Cybercrime Initiatives South of the Border: A Complicated Endeavor

Cybercrime is no longer just a societal problem. In the globalized world of the twenty-first century and given the democratization of technology, individuals as well as nation-state can carry out their nefarious activities without fear of protection or detention. Cybercrime is becoming a major issue in Latin America. Several Latin American countries are investigated here to illustrate their cyber issues and how they have created laws to mitigate cyber concerns. Again, cybercrime can never be eliminated. But, nation-state can mitigate and take actions to protect their critical infrastructure

'An absolute prerequisite': The importance of user privacy and trust in maintaining academic freedom at the library

This research investigated the importance of user-library trust in ensuring vital freedom of inquiry in academic libraries, exploring its strength through comparison with attitudes towards the National Identity Card Scheme (NICS) within the various libraries of a large UK university. An online survey of students and interviews with librarians revealed student opposition to the NICS and distrust of the government. Measurement of pre-existing privacy opinions linked opposition to NICS with concerns about privacy. Students were confident in library data protection practices, although surprising discrepancies existed between user perceptions and library practices. Libraries successfully protected personal data from intrusion, but showed a certain complacency and reluctance to prioritize data protection that may be ill-advised given a climate of increasing surveillance. Librarians are advised to promote institutional privacy awareness as proactive data protection 'champions' in order to maintain the current 'privilege' they have of user trust. The adaptation of the Westin method for measuring pre-existing privacy concerns proved a more accurate tool than the original and may be of benefit for others undertaking similar research. © The Author(s) 2010