The European Union’s law enforcement agency, Europol, had authorized to conduct on study the youth behavior on the Internet. The researched pointed out the there is a stunning similarity in the way youngsters grow up to become hackers to drug and alcohol addiction.
Because there are several tools available on the Internet, it has become easy for young people to commit cybercrimes. The enjoyment of doing this acts as mere teenage mischiefs could later step up to become full blown online crimes.
Dopamine is the hormone that promotes emotional responses in an individual. It stimulates the person to take action over something that brings him or her some pleasure. In the case of hackers, the frequent repetition of mischievous acts that brought the youth a sense of achievement and success could provoke him or her to do something greater to surpass his or her previous success. And that habit could go on and on until it become almost like an addiction.
Although, hacking has not yet been considered clinically as an addiction. The authors of the study, however, recommends the employment of the same educational programs used to address drug and alcohol addiction to assist the youth and keep them from becoming potential hackers.
The researchers also note the that the hackers are not necessarily drug addicts or even alcoholics. Some of them are even healthier than your yoga instructor.
The research simply pointed out there are certain aspects of youth behavior on the Internet that could imply an addiction.
Many young people consider the Internet as an unguarded place where they are free to do whatever they want. Not all parents check on their children’s behavior online. This situation is conducive for young people to commit these cybercrimes. Somehow the Internet encourages the youth to perform such mischief by showing them images and videos which give these youngsters the mindset that what they are seeing is normal.
The Internet also hits on the child’s self-esteem to provoke them to perform such evil acts. These young people indeed have very sensitive egos. They can easily be persuaded to do something that would promise them glory and fame. This is the issue that needs to be addressed.
The researchers suggest that these hackers should be given certain people to serve as role models for them to act in the right way. These people should them about the dangers of what they are doing. They also suggest that these young people be allowed to spend some time with renewed cybercriminals. They warned, however, that such move can be quite risky.
Educators are also advised to monitor students and pupils who are greatly inclined with good technological skills. And finally, the researchers concluded that it is futile to change people’s passions. The best thing to do is to guide on the right way of using their technical skills.
