Why do users continue to contribute to darknet Child Sexual Abuse Material forums? Examining social exchange, social capital, and social learning explanations using digital forensic artifacts.

Differential association Lawless space Online community Reciprocity Self-presentation

Journal

Child abuse & neglect
ISSN: 1873-7757
Titre abrégé: Child Abuse Negl
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7801702

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
11 May 2024
Historique:
received: 31 01 2024
revised: 01 04 2024
accepted: 22 04 2024
medline: 13 5 2024
pubmed: 13 5 2024
entrez: 12 5 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

The darknet hosts an increasing number of hidden services dedicated to the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Given that by contributing CSAM to the forum members subject themselves to criminal prosecution, questions regarding the motivation for members contributing to darknet CSAM forums arise. Building on insights gained from research into clearnet communities, here we examine the extent to which social incentives generated by the online CSAM community may explain members' posting behavior on darknet CSAM forums. We analyze digital forensic artifacts on the online behavior of members of a darknet CSAM forum that was shut down by law enforcement agencies in July 2015. We apply group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM), social network analysis, and mixed-effect survival models. Applying GBTM three posting trajectories can be distinguished. Social network analyses finds the reply network to be more centralized than predicted by chance. Mixed-effect survival models show positive associations between the length of members' first post and the time since members' first registration on the forum and subsequent posting. Contrarily, the number of replies received appears to mitigate subsequent posting. Findings show posting activity on the forum to be concentrated in a minority of forum members who show posting trajectories that are both frequent and persistent. Results further suggest persistence in posting is motivated by social identity and, to a lesser extent, differential association processes.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
The darknet hosts an increasing number of hidden services dedicated to the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Given that by contributing CSAM to the forum members subject themselves to criminal prosecution, questions regarding the motivation for members contributing to darknet CSAM forums arise.
OBJECTIVE OBJECTIVE
Building on insights gained from research into clearnet communities, here we examine the extent to which social incentives generated by the online CSAM community may explain members' posting behavior on darknet CSAM forums.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING METHODS
We analyze digital forensic artifacts on the online behavior of members of a darknet CSAM forum that was shut down by law enforcement agencies in July 2015.
METHODS METHODS
We apply group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM), social network analysis, and mixed-effect survival models.
RESULTS RESULTS
Applying GBTM three posting trajectories can be distinguished. Social network analyses finds the reply network to be more centralized than predicted by chance. Mixed-effect survival models show positive associations between the length of members' first post and the time since members' first registration on the forum and subsequent posting. Contrarily, the number of replies received appears to mitigate subsequent posting.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Findings show posting activity on the forum to be concentrated in a minority of forum members who show posting trajectories that are both frequent and persistent. Results further suggest persistence in posting is motivated by social identity and, to a lesser extent, differential association processes.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106815 PMID: 38735124
pubmed: 38735124
pii: S0145-2134(24)00205-9
doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106815
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

106815

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of competing interest The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Auteurs

Arjan Blokland (A)

Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), and Leiden Law School, Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. Electronic address: ablokland@nscr.nl.

Anton Daser (A)

Institute of Psychology, Social & Legal Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

Meike de Boer (M)

Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), and Leiden Law School, Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Colm Gannon (C)

School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

Frederic Gnielka (F)

Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Salla Huikuri (S)

Strategic Steering and Development, Ministry of the Interior, Helsinki, Finland.

Rebecca Reichel (R)

Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Thomas Shäfer (T)

Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Alexander F Schmidt (AF)

Institute of Psychology, Social & Legal Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

Katarzyna Staciwa (K)

Polish Platform for Homeland Security, Poznan, Poland.

Robert Lehmann (R)

Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Classifications MeSH