Nature, Structure, Impact, and Science of Cyberspace

Mary  Aiken; Sushil  Gawande

Nature, Structure, Impact, and Science of CyberspaceCHAPTER 1

Mary Aiken,

Sushil Gawande

SUMMARY

The term “cyber” refers to anything involving computers and the Internet. There are many new terminologies being used with reference to cyberspace. The understanding of cyberspace is changing over time however it is important to conceptualize cyberspace as a real place.

The relationship between cyberspace and the real world is more complex than it seems. It is a matter of great concern that real-world cyberspace symbiosis is tilting towards the latter.

Humans are behaving differently with technology when compared to the real world. The ease, convenience, and anonymity of cyberspace are having an unimaginable impact on human behavior. Although there are many benefits regarding the new environment of cyberspace, this evolution may also be facilitating addictive type behaviors.

Cyberspace is contributing to sociological and psychological changes across every age group. We are living through the largest unregulated social experiment of all time. Cybercriminal activities, online risks and harms are now ubiquitous.

This chapter discusses the above issues in depth and various forms of cybertherapy along with the precautionary principle transposed to cyberspace. Concluding that it is time for science, industry, governments, communities, and families to come together to create a roadmap for cybersociety.

WHAT IS CYBERSPACE: DEFINITION OF CYBERSPACE WITH REFERENCE TO THE CURRENT SCIENCE

The term “cyber” refers to anything involving computers and the Internet. The broad term cyberspace was coined by the fiction writer William Gibson. The term first featured in his 1982 science fiction short story “Burning Chrome” and was popularized in 1984 in his novel “Neuromancer.” However, by the 1990s it had started to enter into common usage, particularly with the popularity of the Internet. Cyber was being used as a term for anything related to computers and future information technology, for example, cybershopping, cybersurfing and cyberspace.¹

Along with Wiener and Marshall, McLuhan was one of the most important influences on the Gibson vision of cyberspace, which represents computers as an extension of the body to the extent that the individual directly connects to the console 2through an interface, which in turn connects the brain to the electronic medium.² The network of information technology, telecommunications networks and the Internet have rendered the concept of cyberspace as a global domain, within this environment of information. Notably, very different from Gibson's “Neuromancer” description of cyberspace, that is, “A graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding William Gibson, Neuromancer (New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 1989), pp. 128”.

Historically, the term cyber is derived from another term cybernetics, which was used by Norbert Wiener in the late 1940s. Interestingly, he defined it as the science of control. Cybernetics, is derived from the Ancient Greek “kybernētēs” which means pilot or governor (from kybernan to steer, govern),³ as discussed with the onset of the Internet, the term cyberspace has been applied to the virtual space that is created within the Internet, somewhat of a paradox since this space has little or no governance. Nonetheless, the term continues to evolve, in 2016 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ratified cyberspace as a domain of war, as an environment, acknowledging that the disputes of the future would take place on land, sea, air, and in cyberspace.⁴ Importantly, children and young people are now growing up in the psychological environment of cyberspace, Yan (2012) predicts that the cyber behavioral sciences will enjoy exponential growth—due to rapid acceleration of Internet technologies and the “unprecedentedly pervasive and profound influence of the Internet on human beings”.⁵

There are many other words using “cyber” as a prefix coined in early 90s such as cyber-punk, cyber-culture, cyber-society, cyber-art, cyber-talk, cyber-education, cyber-cash, cyber-business, cyber-mall, cyber-porn, cyber-sex, cyber-selves, cyber-ethics, cyber-fashion, cyber-café, cyber-goth and cyber-time.

Additionally, many other terminologies are being used with reference to activity in cyberspace, for example cybercrime, cybersecurity, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, cyberthreats, cyberespionage and cyberoperations. In fact, almost every activity undertaken in cyberspace could plausibly be considered as a cyberactivity. In the coming years we may find many new terminologies related to cyber, particularly as we move into an era of virtual and augmented reality.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CYBERSPACE AND THE REAL WORLD

Man-computer symbiosis⁶ is a subclass of man-machine systems, which describes the interaction between man and computers. In the man-machine systems of the past, the human provided the initiative, direction and integration. The mechanical parts of the systems were extensions of the human. In this system there was only one kind of organism, that is, the man. The role of machines was to assist mankind.

During the last few years, rapid and remarkable changes have taken place in the man-computer system. Mechanical extension has advanced almost to the point of replacement of man. Human operators are increasingly only responsible for functions that are not feasible or cost effective to automate. Therefore the phenomenon of man-computer symbiosis is perhaps tilting in favor of machines. Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly capable of rivaling human intellectual abilities in many areas 3of life. Despite this we should continue to strive to maintain a state of man-machine symbiosis, that is an interdependent and symbiotic relationship. Cooperation and interaction could undoubtedly enhance the cognitive processes of man and improve the functioning of the machine, which would work towards ensuring harmony, balance, and mutual benefit going forward, in other words a symbiotic relationship.

According to man-machine concepts, cyberspace can be conceptualized as an extension of human intellect, as a powerful psychological space. Cyberspace is impacted by the aspirations and desires of human beings. We are now moving towards an “Internet of Humans”.⁷ Cooper describes the “Triple A” engine, three key factors that combine to give the Internet its power, namely, access, affordability, and anonymity.⁸ The ease, convenience and anonymity of cyberspace are all having an impact on the real world in multiple dimensions. As is true for man-machine symbiosis, real world cyberspace symbiosis may conceivably be tilting towards the latter.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN CYBERSPACE

It is interesting to note that we can behave differently when mediated by technology when compared with how we behave with others face to face. Technology can amplify, escalate, and alter the nature of our actions. At a basic human computer interaction level, even the act of searching for health-related information online, can lead to escalation to review morbid or serious content, which in turn can cause anxiety, this phenomenon is described as cyberchondria.⁹ The democratization of access to information online is a positive evolution and the Internet is a source of valuable medical information, however, it has the potential to increase anxiety in people who have no medical training, when it is employed as a diagnostic procedure. Further research is required to find a balance between positive aspects of search such as increased knowledge and reassurance, and the worry and anxiety that may be engendered, this is particularly relevant in the context of the 2020 global pandemic and the associated media ‘infodemic.’¹⁰ arguably this premise is true when it comes to any human behavior mediated by technology. There are many benefits regarding the connectivity afforded by cyberspace, however, the apps; devices; and social media platforms that populate this space may in fact be instrumental in creating new addictive type behaviors. A former software engineer describes how behind every screen on your phone, there are generally more than a thousand engineers that have worked hard to make it as addictive as possible.¹¹ There needs to be a greater awareness regarding what can only be described as “addiction by design” products and services that are designed to target our psychological Achilles heel, designed to diminish rather than enhance the human species.¹² The point is, technology in itself is not good or bad—it is either designed, and then used, well, or poorly by humans. “If we really want to tackle online harms, addiction by design, autonomous surveillance, dark AI, behavioral manipulation online, misinformation and disinformation” along with ever evolving social media “weapons of mass distraction”, then we need to work towards understanding these new phenomena and work towards seeking solutions.¹³

There is a need to conceptualize technology in a new way for example conceptualizing cyberspace as an actual physical space that has a profound and pervasive impact on humankind. It is extremely important to acknowledge the repercussions of this space on vulnerable groups such as children, developing youth, additionally we 4must factor in those with delinquent or criminal intent. There is therefore a need to draw on the learnings of the behavioral sciences regarding the relationship between environment and human behavior. Ecological psychology studies have theorized that behavior is largely influenced by social settings. Roger Barkers's work in the early 1940s in this regard is noteworthy. Barker proposed the concept of “behavior setting” which explains the effect of an environment on its inhabitants. In 1987, the environmental psychologist Harold Proshansky¹⁴ discussed how the field was “value-oriented” due to environmental psychology's commitment to bettering society through problem identification. This is a valuable observation when it comes to the consideration of the individual in a psychological context, and the group in a sociological context, or what has been described as “cybersociety”.¹⁵

Proshansky, however, only considered environment as a real-world construct, the challenge now for academics, researchers and practitioners is to transpose these valuable learnings to cyberspace.

Cyberpsychology¹⁶ focuses on the study of impact of technology on human behavior; specifically how the Internet and digital activities affect human behavior, forensic cyberpsychology¹⁷ is an emerging area of research, that is, the study of criminal, deviant and abnormal behavior online. We spend a significant part of our life in cyberspace and we are all aware of the unimaginable benefits of cyberspace. However, these benefits must be considered in the context of potential risks and harms in this new environment.

“Claims for the independence of cyberspace are based on a false dichotomy, physical and virtual are not opposed; rather the virtual complicates the physical, and vice versa”.¹⁸

In other words, activity in cyberspace can have consequences in the real world and vice versa. The online disinhibition effect¹⁹ is commonly observed in cyberspace. It can make an individual feel less inhibited when they are online compared to real-life situations. Anonymity, or perceived anonymity online is also a strong behavioral driver, arguably there may exist comorbidities in that anonymity may fuel disinhibited behavior and vice versa. Due to the powerful psychological effect of anonymity, some individuals may have behavioral deficits regarding appropriate decision making or judgment. Online disinhibition can also affect human behavior in technology mediated environments.

Empathy may also be compromised when humans are online. It has been observed that some people have decreased empathy and heightened detachment from the feelings and rights of others when they are online. This phenomenon has led to various deviated human behaviors. Research supports that narcissism is rising and empathy is declining among American college students²⁰ and given hyper global connectivity these changes are undoubtedly universal.

Desensitization effect is also a commonly observed change in human behavior online, perhaps given the endless amount of violent and extreme content in online media, viewers may be losing some sensitivity? Perhaps due to overexposure, initial concerns may turn to lack of sensitivity?

Human behavior is often amplified and accelerated online.⁹ The principles of Skinner's operant conditioning play an important role in the amplification of human 5behavior in cyberspace. Immediate rewards and gratifications reinforce behavior²¹ and increase the chance of repetition of similar behaviors. Discomfort or distress of not being online may also arguably reinforce online behavior.

Online anonymity, convenience of use, easy accessibility, disinhibition and escapism are important cyber-related factors which may be associated with amplification and escalation of human behavior in cyber contexts.

Whenever a technology interfaces with a basic human tendency, the result is often a form of amplification or acceleration. There exists a “cyber effect’ which has been hypothesized as online syndication,¹² whereby deviant, criminal or abnormal groups can syndicate to find each other online within a few clicks, and in doing so conceivably normalize and socialize their behaviors.

This online syndication effect is undoubtedly a factor regarding the manifestation of serious deviant behaviors online. Sex offenders, proponents of hate speech, racism, misogyny, cybercriminals, hacktivists, extremists and young people with self-harm disorders may be affected by this phenomenon, that is, syndicating to connect with each other online and in doing so socializing their behaviors. Potentially this form of syndicated hyperconnectivity may be a major factor in recently reported surges of COVID-19 related criminal behavior in cyberspace.²²

CYBERSPACE IS A REAL PLACE

Space is a place or an area that is empty. It is easy to imagine a physical space however the new term “cyberspace” may be confusing for some as it is difficult to imagine or conceptualize its abstract dimensions. Is cyberspace an actual place? This question has been widely debated. And the answer is, yes. It is an actual space. As soon as we go online, we are taken to a different location in terms of awareness, emotions, responses and behaviors. Depending on age, physical and mental development and personality traits our reactions may vary. Though physically we are sitting in the classroom, bedroom or any other location but awareness-wise and emotionally we are often taken to a different location when online. The more time we spend in cyberspace, the less time we are available in the physical world. Humans have evolved over centuries to utilize physical space, but cyberspace is still a new place where humans have yet to evolve and adapt to this new environment.²³

Therefore in our quest to scientifically understand and investigate evolving and changing human behavior, it is important to conceptualize cyberspace as an environment that impacts human behavior, as a real place. This will help us to study human-cyberspace dynamics and will have explanatory value regarding the impact of technology on human behavior.

SOCIETAL CHANGE IN CYBER CONTEXTS

It is perhaps unusual that the design of the Internet has been created as a democratic environment, in which all users are treated and regarded equally without any individual differences. Expecting that all the Internet end users are equal is cyber utopian and unrealistic. Some in society are more vulnerable than others. Children, young people, elders, those with mental health issues, learning difficulties, the neurodiverse or those 6lacking education are all very vulnerable online, they are all potentially high-risk victims. They may be unaware regarding darker aspects of the Internet, the potential risks and harms, and are therefore extremely vulnerable.

It has been said that we are living through the largest unregulated social experiment of all time.¹² Our younger generations have been exposed to the best and worst aspects of the Internet. However there is no global statutory body to regulate cyberspace, no authority charged with maximizing benefits and minimizing harms. Professor John Suler, the father of cyberpsychology, described an evolving framework for understanding how people react to and behave in cyberspace, his landmark research has inspired many cyber behavioral scientists worldwide.

Children are being affected practically from birth; devices are increasingly distracting parental and caregiver attention which in turn impacts on essential eye contact with an infant.²⁴ In terms of smartphone checking, the average adult touches their smartphone 2,617 times (p.7) a day, the study noted that ‘At 7AM, touches explode” (p.9).²⁵ Children are being exposed to cyber technological advancements at a very early age, in the UK 1% of 3–4-year-old have a smartphone, 21% have a tablet²⁶ despite the fact that one study found that more than 2 hours of screen time a day could damage children's brain development.²⁷ The expectation that children should be aware of all of positive and negative effects of this new cyber world is not acceptable, particularly as from a scientific perspective many effects are as yet unknown. Unsupervised use of the Internet by children can expose them to cybercriminals.²⁸ Europol has reported a significant increase in online coercion and sextortion with children as young as 7 years being targeted.²⁹ The global impact of COVID-19 means that children are spending more time online, in some cases, they are lonely or isolated, which make them more vulnerable to offenders, who may attempt to connect with them in order to blackmail or coerce them into producing explicit material or to arrange a meeting in real life.³⁰ They are also vulnerable in terms of cyberbullying, harassment, and exposure to legal but age-inappropriate extreme content online³¹ including extreme violence, pornography and hate speech. Importantly, children require supervision for their online activity, just in the same way that we supervise them in the real world.

The numbers of hours spent by teenagers online have increased significantly as they are able to connect with many of their friends. Their online activities consist of academic activities, gaming, watching movies, social networking, and for some, viewing pornography. Zimbardo (2015) describes how the average American boy watches 50 pornograhic videos a week all easily accessible online.³² The average US child first encounters pornography at the tender age of 8 years. By the time an average male is 21 years old, he has played 10,000 hours of video games (two-thirds of that in isolation). Zimbardo argues that both gaming and pornography have effectively caused a digital rewiring of boys’ brains to need novelty, excitement, and constant arousal, perhaps this may have explanatory value regarding current youth sexting behavior in India?³³ and perhaps may also help to illuminate what has been described as a “sexual violence pandemic in India”³⁴ as rape cases doubled in last 17 years, perhaps mirroring the growth and penetration of the Internet?

Adolescents are the highest Internet users, compared to infants and children, in the U.S 45% of teens report to be online almost constantly (Pew Research Center, 2018),³⁵ 7There is an increasing global body of evidence regarding the harmful effects of social technologies on the well-being of children and young people such as sleep deprivation, obesity and compulsive use, along with vulnerability to advertising. The literature supports that being exposed to risks such as hateful, violent or adult content, or being groomed or bullied, may all lead to harms such as psychological distress, anxiety, depression, self-harm or suicidal ideation (RCPsych, 2020).³⁶ While simply being online or on social media particularly for long periods of time, may lead to physical health issues such as obesity and loss of sleep (House of Commons, 2019) A myriad of negative consequences is emerging, in terms of psychological impact screentime is associated with a higher incidence of poor mental health “higher anxiety symptoms, depression/depressive symptoms, depressed affect in girls, externalising problems, internalising problems, health complaints and overall mental health problems”.³⁷

This is supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who say that “there is emerging evidence that increased use of social media or screen time may result in poorer well-being” (RCPsych, p.30). Concerningly, anxiety and depression in young people have risen 70% in the last 25 years³⁸ additionally a recent UK government study³⁹ found that an alarming 18% of young people in UK did not think that life was worth living. In fact the UK's chief medical officer has stated that parents should “ban screens from bedtimes and the dinner table”.⁴⁰ The House of Commons (2019) report recommends that “parental engagement can play a vital role in helping children develop ‘digital resilience’, so that they can confidently identify and judge online risks themselves. Parents, however, need high-quality support to ensure these conversations are as effective as possible” (p.47).⁴¹

The decreased levels of happiness among youth have been linked by some experts in this area to their increased use of social media. Perhaps excessive online socializing by young people has affected their relationships with friends and paradoxically at some level is undermining self-esteem and engendering feelings of inadequacy? Further research is required to explore the impact of technology on the mental health and well-being of young people.

Problematic Internet use has been commonly seen amongst teenagers. International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) has laid down criteria for disorders of addictive behavior such as online gaming disorder and online gambling disorder. Keles et al. (2019) found that the main risk factors for depression, anxiety and psychological distress for young people using social media were the amount of time spent undertaking certain activities (e.g. repeated checking for messages), personal investment (the act of putting time and effort into social media) and addictive or problematic use.⁴²

Cyber use has become a regular feature of the working life of many adults. Similar to teenagers, their online activities vary from the professional to the personal. Many adults are using the Internet for philanthropy. Many social activists across the globe are coming together to work for the betterment of humankind. In this regard, the Internet has been playing an important role. But as with teenagers, many adults are becoming involved in harmful, deviant and antisocial behavior online. The prevalence of cyberbullying, cyber stalking, cybersex addiction, online gambling disorder, online gaming disorder, online shopping addiction and social media addiction are all a cause for concern.8

Many psychological problems, such as anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, sleep disorders, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) are associated with problematic Internet use, and while we need to be mindful of issues surrounding causation and correlation there is an urgent need for psychiatrists to undertake clinical studies to investigate emerging technology related disorders. It has been noticed that Internet addictive type behaviors are quite often accompanied by other diagnoses. In a Korean study, the authors reported that the average participant with Internet addiction had 1.5 other diagnoses.⁴³

Cybercriminal activity is now ubiquitous. Perpetrators are targeting both individuals and businesses. There is also a remarkable rise in the incidences of trolling, online bullying, commercialization of human data and gamification of electoral processes Aiken (2018).⁴⁴

Time spent in cyberspace can consume a significant proportion of our family and social life. On the one hand it has opened opportunities for socialization across the globe, while on the other it has diminished real-life human face to face interactions. The effect of cyberspace on society can vary from building to breaking relationships. The impact of social media is increasingly apparent in lawsuits worldwide. Especially so in divorce cases where it has been reported in popular media that WhatsApp and Facebook are being used as major sources of information to substantiate a case.⁵⁵ Countries such as Italy, US, and UK are also experiencing these trends⁵⁷ and observations in India are not very different.⁴⁵

CYBERTHERAPY (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND E-THERAPY)

Researchers and clinicians define cybertherapy or e-therapy as clinical work via e-mail or chat. It is a text-based communication and is mostly or exclusively conducted through the Internet.

Whilst there are many risks and problems with regard to the connectivity afforded by the Internet, there are also positives, for example, the ability to use technology to deliver therapeutic protocols remotely. The most important benefit of therapy is the opportunity to reach people who are unable to visit a psychotherapist due to geographical, physical or lifestyle limitations. Cybertherapy could serve as a stepping stone to face-to-face therapy or it could be conducted following an initial face-to-face therapeutic assessment.

According to Suler⁴⁶ there are five features of the communication pathway between therapist and client in cybertherapy. There are distinct advantages and disadvantages of each style of communication.

Synchronous/asynchronous communication
Text/sensory communication
Real/imaginary communication
Automated/interpersonal communication
Invisible/present communication
Synchronous communication: In this type of communication, the therapist and client are sitting at their computers at the same time and interacting with each other. e.g., text chats, multimedia chats, Internet telephoning, audio-video conferencing, instant messaging, short messaging system, and e-mails, if they are online and interacting in real time.9

Asynchronous communication: In asynchronous type of communication, the therapist and client do not have to sit at the computer at the same time. Examples—e-mails and audio-video recording.

Text/sensory communication:
- Text: Many interactions on the Internet are done via typed text. It lacks sensory enrichment such as sounds and images. E.g., e-mails and short-messaging services (SMS).
- Sensory: Audio-visual conferencing is an example of sensory communication. Sensory modalities are used to facilitate the communication between the therapist and the client.
Imaginary/real communication:
- Imaginary: Cyberspace is filled with many fantasy-based communities, some purely text-driven and some highly visual, such as online virtual reality systems and multimedia chat communities.
- Real communication: It is an actual face-to-face meeting of the therapist with the client.
Automated/interpersonal communication:
- Automated communication: There are programs being designed to guide clients to develop self-insight regarding behavioral and cognitive changes. They can be used as adjuncts to psychotherapy or as primary components of a self-help program.
  
  The field of AI is evolving rapidly and may be able to closely simulate major aspects of verbal human interaction.
- Interpersonal communication: Computers are far inferior to humans in feeling and reasoning about human conditions. Humans need humans. In psychotherapy, interpersonal relationships are therapeutic for many clients.
Invisible/present communication:
- Invisible communication: The invisibility of the therapist that computers allow overlaps with the automated/interpersonal dimension. If clients believe they are only talking to a computer, then the therapist is essentially invisible. In computer-mediated therapy, the degree of presence of the therapist can be regulated.
- Present communication: Psychotherapies that rely on a healing human relationship will require a professional who is present.

Psychotherapists and mental health professionals may evaluate these dimensions of cybertherapy quite differently. Those who use psychotherapy, which is more procedure oriented rather than relationship oriented, may find automated interventions very useful. On the other hand, therapists who uphold the therapeutic power of a face-to-face relationship may not be that comfortable with computer-mediated psychotherapy.

There are three ways to conceptualize computer-mediated psychotherapy:

Computers can be incorporated into pre-existing psychotherapy.
We can develop new therapies such as “e-mail therapy” and “chat therapy”.
We can develop “cybertherapy” as a single and multifaceted style of psychotherapy with the features that can be controlled, combined, and modified according to the needs of the clients.10

A recent report in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) Mental Health⁴⁷ maintains that although use of digital technology can help people to access information or provide support for their mental health problems, it can also expose them to significant risk. Authors argue that it is important to consider Internet-related risk behavior (digital risk) within psychiatric risk assessment protocols.

The positive news is that research supports that technology-based approaches to mental healthcare are well received by young adults,⁴⁸ and in some cases preferred over traditional talk additionally the importance of online clinics, blended treatment, digital assessment, and digital training has been noted.⁴⁹

Therefore, there is a need for the psychiatric, counseling and therapeutic professions to address how best therapeutic protocols made be conceptualized, tested and ultimately administered by means of technology.

THE ENVIRONMENT OF CYBERSPACE: PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE

In May 2018, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced in Europe. It aims to make the technology sector more responsible and to strengthen the rights of individuals. Protection of children is one of the most important aspects of this regulation. The digital age of consent is addressed in article 8. GDPR sets this age at 16 years. It is the age at which children have the power to let a social media company target them, profile them and gather their personal data.

The GDPR is just one area of protection concerning the data of adults and minors. There are many other areas that must be addressed. These areas include cyber fraud, identity theft, online harassment and with regard to minors, age-inappropriate content online such as extreme violence, self-harm material, and adult pornography.

We should take specific precautions to protect our children and young people from “online harms”.⁵⁰ Engagement of parents in the lives of young people online is important, just as they are engaged in the real-world. There is an urgent need for new ideas, innovations and solutions for the problems that have erupted in cyberspace, in fact the UK government has just published a major report titled “safer technology, safer users”,⁵¹ which encourages investment in and development of technology solutions to technology facilitated problem behaviors.

The precautionary principle⁵² in terms of the environmental movement places an onus or “duty of care” on industry to protect the environment. Cyberspace industries and social technology companies in particular should take on the responsibility of protecting this environment and protecting users from harm. Government, medical, social, and environmental activists should force cyberspace enterprises to be more responsible for the ‘content pollution’ of cyberspace, and most importantly the exposure of cyber citizens to cyber harms. Notably the Indian government recently acted to protect young people and the sovereignty and integrity of Indian cyberspace by banning a pervasive social media app, that had been downloaded an estimated 600 million times in India.⁵³

In India, the Information Technology Act, 2000 (ITA 2000) deals with cybercrime. The act was amended in 2008 with the introduction of provisions addressing child abuse material, cyber terrorism and voyeurism.

There are many controversies surrounding digital age in India. According to ITA-2000, child means a person less than 18 years of age. The minimum age to use 11Facebook is 13 years, while it is set at 16 years for WhatsApp, however many underage children are active users of social media. There is little or no independent oversight regarding the implementation of digital age restrictions which urgently needs to be addressed going forward.⁵⁴

There is a lot of work to be done to protect the children and youth of India and indeed worldwide. The medical and behavioral sciences have an important role to play along with parents, educators, academics policymakers, statutory authorities and industry. It is important to remember that “What is new is not always good. Technology only brings progress when we are able as a society to mitigate its most harmful effects”.¹²

THE FUTURE: CYBERSPACE AND CYBERPSYCHIATRY

As discussed, NATO has now acknowledged cyberspace as a new frontier in defense. Cyberattacks are recognized as a new weapon. Many nations and organizations are trying to equip themselves to prevent and counter such attacks. However, most of the preventive measures are falling short regarding rapid developments in cyberspace.

The technological revolution that delivered connectivity, computers, and cyberspace has produced seismic changes for our species. Humans are now desperately trying to adapt in cyberspace, but struggling to keep pace with advancements in technology. Most of us use the technologies of cyberspace involuntarily, exactly the way we breathe air and drink water. It has become an inseparable part of our developmental, social, professional and personal lives. However, these cyber effects should not distract us from things that are more important and crucial for our personal happiness and survival.

We are living in a unique period of human history, which is characterized by intense technological advancement. Babies are being born and growing up in the cyber world. Society is being reshaped. Content pollution of cyberspace is going to be one of the toughest challenges for humankind going forward. We urgently need to reconsider how we handle behavioral problems in this new environment. We need cyber leadership in this crucial area—we need “academic first responders” in cyberspace. The best response is transdisciplinary. With the inputs of experts in this field, communities and government, new strategies to tackle issues related to cyber systems, networks and platforms need to be devised.¹²

The scientific study of cyberspace began in the early 1990s, led by the acknowledged founder of cyberpsychology, Professor John Suler. Researchers have attempted to analyze and predict human behavior in this new domain with some success. Traditional theories in psychology have often proven to be insufficient in explaining the relatively novel and specific behaviors in this technology-mediated environment. A deeper understanding of cyberspace has lead us to challenge the fundamentals of the science of behavior. Traditional research may not be able to keep pace with rapidly changing behavioral phenomena. Accessible funding for a “rapid research” enterprise along with multidisciplinary collaboration of policymakers and governments may help broaden scientific investigation. The contributions of academics and scientists will undoubtedly aid in crystallizing new ideas and conquering this new scientific frontiers. Technological advancement will be an important factor in the structure of 12cybertherapy in future. An analogy can be drawn from the mental health workers such as the psychologists and psychiatrists who collaborate to work towards a common goal of mental health despite differences in education and scope of practice.

Psychology has made significant advances in the development of the advance discipline of cyberpsychology, in fact, Norman (2008) has declared that cyberpsychology “is the new psychology”, the question is, will “cyberpsychiatry” become the new psychiatry in an age of technology?

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Chapter Notes

Nature, Structure, Impact, and Science of CyberspaceCHAPTER 1