Experts tackle ‘digital safety during COVID-19 crisis’

AMMAN — Experts on Wednesday warned people from falling victims of cybercrimes due to the large use of the internet to learn more about the COVID-19 crisis.

The call came during a viral lecture that was organised by Solidarity Is Global Institute (SIGI) entitled “Digital Safety during the COVID-19 Crisis”.

SIGI Executive President Asma Khader said that the rapid spread of the COVID-19 in Jordan and the world “pushed people to depend largely on the internet”.

“The high use of internet resulted in several problems, with women being effected the most since they are the most who are being subjected to blackmail and sexual exploitation,” said Khader.

That is why, Khader added, “there needs to be more protection and technical awareness on the best methods to use the digital world in the safest manner, and prevent any abuse that is fraudulent”.

 “SIGI provides technical, psychological and legal advice for people who might fall victims to cybercrimes and there is an urgent need to spread digital safety awareness in a simple language [so that] everyone can understand, especially the elderly who are not familiar with the use of the latest technology,” Khader explained.

Also speaking during the lecture was Anti-Cybercrime Unit Director Lt. Col. Raed Rawashdeh, who pointed out that the spread of COVID-19 in Jordan contributed in increasing the rumours through the cyber world.

“We had to deal with many rumours in the past three weeks and it created a lot of confusion among the public,” Rawashdeh said.

The police official added that many people also fall victims to internet fraud because they are “eager to read any news that is related to COVID-19 and end opening unsafe links”.

“Many people are falling victims to false links that results in invading their privacy or stealing their personal information,” Rawashdeh added.

Lawyer Hashem Nassar, who is an expert in cybercrimes, spoke about the dangers of the “digital world since many women fall victims to sexual exploitation”.

“There are some matters that are not tackled in the Cyber Crimes Law, such as spreading rumours and blackmail of people,” Nassar said.

The lawyer stressed the need to include legal clauses that cover “these gaps that does not inflict punishment on violators or protect the victims”.

Two female experts from SIGI provided some tips and guidance for social media users on how to better protect their privacy and security while using the internet.