Digital Deviance and New Age Crime (GSS507)

GSS507 Digital Deviance and New Age Crime examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of digital crime, expanding its scale, sophistication and reach, and what this means for security professionals responsible for prevention, investigation and response. AI is no longer a peripheral development in this field; it has become central to how crime is committed, detected and governed. The course explores how misconduct manifests in digital environments, including cybercrime, hacking, online harassment, misinformation, digital piracy and other forms of unethical online behaviour. Through a multidisciplinary lens, students examine the motivations behind these behaviours, their societal impact, and the legal, ethical and regulatory challenges they present. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to analyse AI-enabled digital crime, evaluate the effectiveness of regulatory and operational responses, and develop evidence-informed strategies to prevent and respond to digital deviance in professional security contexts.

• Introduction to Digital Deviance
• Cybercrime and Hacking
• Online Harassment and Cyberbullying
• Misinformation and Disinformation
• Digital Piracy and Intellectual Property
• Social Media and Anonymity
• Dark Web and Illegal Online Markets
• AI-Generated Content: Risks, Regulation and Response
• Privacy and Data Protection
• Legal and Ethical Challenges in Digital Spaces
• Regulatory and Policy Responses to Digital Deviance
• AI-Enabled Influence Operations and Information Warfare

• Discuss the various forms of digital deviance, such as cybercrime, online harassment, and digital piracy.
• Appraise the social, psychological, and technical factors that contribute to deviant behaviour in digital environments.
• Examine the ethical and legal challenges arising from AI-enabled digital crime.
• Apply analytical frameworks to real-world cases of AI-enabled digital crime, assessing the adequacy of existing regulatory and enforcement responses.
• Analyse strategies for the prevention and regulation of digital deviance, including challenges arising from AI-generated content and emerging technologies.
• Formulate informed solutions for addressing online misconduct in professional security contexts, incorporating technical, regulatory, and human elements.