KOLEHIYO NG LUNGSOD NG LIPA

Marawouy, Lipa City

COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

OBSERVATION OF SELECTED STUDENTS OF KOLEHIYO NG LUNGSOD

NG LIPA ON CYBERCRIME PREVENTION PRACTICES: BASIS FOR A

SAFER DIGITAL SPACE

A Thesis Proposal Presented to the

Faculty of the College of Criminal Justice

Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa

Brgy. Marawouy, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines 4217

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

By:

Monastrial, Ann Jasell S.

Morcilla, Jeziel K.

Olgado, Lara Joyce A.

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COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

This chapter presents the introduction, background of the study and

statement of the problem. It also includes statement of the hypothesis, significance

of the study, together with the scope and limitation of the study.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Cybercrime is an activity done using a computer and internet or network

which is considered unlawful, wherein the computer serves as either a target or a

tool to execute an offense. Most of the people have a limited knowledge of

cybercrime, which occurs in cyberspace, however this kind of crime can have a

serious impact on the lives of individual and society. As technology advances in

today's world, more people are being exposed to computers on a daily basis which

leads to cybercrime and security issues. Every aspect of their daily existence,

including how they conduct business, interact with friends and family and obtain

information has changed because of the internet. The pervasive nature of the

internet, and its ability to readily connect individuals and resources, unintentionally

strengthens the complex networks upon which extensive online theft, fraud,

harassment, stalking, scams known as cybercrime or cyberattacks, thrive.

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COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The Internet was considered as the most effective instrument since the

printing press invented. With the assistance of a mobile device that has the

necessary authorization, anyone can now monitor, track and control a lot of things

due to the emergence of the virtual World Wide Web or WWW together with nearby

physical devices. The development of the internet has led to a significant rise in

the use of computers by criminals for illegal activities. Thus, cybercrime is the

modern term for a newly emerging field of illegal activity and creativity.

Social media are utilized as a medium of communication and interaction

among all the people across the world and is considered as one of the most active

web-based activities in the Philippines, with Filipinos reportedly being the most

frequent users of websites like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. In the

Philippines, as stated by Statista Research Department, social networking

websites are used to such an extent that the nation is known as "The Social

Networking Capital of the World" and social networking has also influenced Filipino

cyber culture.

Like every other nation worldwide, the Philippines is progressively

embracing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into its political,

economic, social areas of influence, and even in education.

Facebook stands as the most widely used social networking platform. It's

hardly surprising that it's the most popular in a nation where most of the top cellular

networks even provide free facebook access for subscribers. Despite all of these
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platforms, criminals take this as an opportunity to commit crimes. Computer

crimes are now a serious and growing threat to the society as a result of criminals

employing computers for their illicit activities. The Philippines has never lagged in

adopting new technologies, particularly regarding the Internet. On September 12,

2012, the Philippine Congress passed Republic Act No. 10175, often known as the

Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 which covers crimes against and perpetrated

using computer systems. It consists of substantive and procedural penal laws and

laws governing international cooperation. It has been described as a crime

committed with or through the use of information and communication technologies

such as radio, television, cellular phones, computers and networks and other

communication device or application. Two measures approved by the Philippine

Senate and House of Representatives in June 2012 resulted in Republic Act

10175. The final consolidated form of the measures above was signed into law by

President Benigno Aquino III in September of the same year.

One of cybercrime incidents is the cyber libel. The internet has grown to be

a very useful instrument for communication in the digital age but it has also made

room for new kinds of criminal activity. Particularly, cyber libel has grown to be a

serious problem. It occurs when someone abuses technological advances, such

social media, the internet, or other digital means of communication, to defame or

ruin someone's reputation. False or malicious words that negatively impact an

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individual's integrity, reputation or character are made public in this particular

instance.

Cyber libel, as defined in Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code and

amended by Republic Act 10175, is a public and malicious imputation of a crime,

or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or

circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or

juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead, committed through

a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future..

One of the well-known cases related to cyber libel charges in the Philippines

involves Reynaldo Santos, Jr., Maria Angelita Ressa and Rappler Inc. The

executive editor of the online news site Rappler, Maria Ressa and writer Reynaldo

Santos Jr. proved guilty of cyber libel by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 on

the Philippines. Following an article entitled “CJ using SUVs of ‘controversial’

businessmen” published by Rappler 2012, it claims that businessman Wilfredo

Keng was under investigation by the National Security Council for involvement in

human trafficking, drug smuggling, an unsolved murder case, smuggling fake

cigarettes and his connections to Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato

Corona. Keng asked for the publication of his perspective and the removal of the

article from the Rappler website but the Rappler disregard his point of view.

According to Keng, the fictitious picture that Rappler and the accused caused him

and his family members seeming humiliated and deeply bothered. In reference to
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his business, Keng claimed in his statement that the article has had a negative

impact on his occupation. Ressa and Santos was then found guilty under the 2012

Cybercrime Prevention Act Section 4(c)(4).

Based on the study of Beal (2014), cyber libel is a term used to describe

defamation that takes place within cyberspace, meaning through the internet. This

includes false and damaging statements made towards another person through e-

mail, message boards, blogs, chat rooms, on web sites or any other internet-based

communication medium.

Kuss & Griffiths (2017) mentioned that, even though the earlier research on

the subject has produced somewhat contradictory results, the researchers

generally agree that certain groups of users are at more risk of experiencing

negative outcomes of social media use. More specifically, the researchers have

pointed out that there is a group of individuals who have difficulty controlling the

quantity and intensity of their use of social media platforms.

In the study conducted by Yar & Steinmetz (2019), the notion of cybercrime

in criminology is used to refer to a variety of illegal activities that are performed in

online networks and platforms through computers and other devices.

According to Jing et al (2019), the Information and Communication

Technologies sector in the Philippines is one of the countries in Southeast Asia

with the quickest economic development. However, because of its large population

of internet users, the nation is also among the most susceptible to Cybercrime.
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COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Due to the greater access to technology and to Internet, Cybercrime is an issue

that is getting worse in the Philippines (Szymkowiak et al., 2021). In view of the

large number of internet users in the Philippines and the lack of knowledge and

education regarding cybercrime, there have been several instances of people

becoming involved in Cybercrime, either as perpetrators or victims (Abuda et al.,

2020). The Philippines has a sizable young population, making them vulnerable to

Cybercrime.

Keyboard is now mightier than a pen. It also means that cyber libel is more

serious than traditional libel. People who have intelligence have been misusing

this aspect of internet to perpetuate illegal acts in cyberspace.

The researchers opted to conduct this study to assess the understanding

of BS Criminology students to cyber libel incidents and the practices or preventive

measures they take to safeguard themselves from being a victim of cybercrime.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

AWARENESS Cyber Libel

SOCIAL
MEDIA • Proactive
PRACTICES Approach
• Reactive
Approach
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Figure 1: Research Paradigm

The paradigm shows the correlation of variables involved in the study.

Social media are interactive systems that have their own grounds, and these

are awareness and practices of the respondents in cyber libel. The first ground is

the awareness which has cyber libel or the act of posting or emailing something

that is not true and damaging someone else on the internet; Lastly is the practices,

to cure or deal with the cybercrime specifically cyber libel, individual must secure

their account on social media by proactive and reactive cybersecurity.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to observe the cybercrime prevention practices of the

selected students of Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa.

Specifically, it will seek to answer the following:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 age;

1.2 sex; and

1.3 number of hours in using social media per day?

2. What is the respondents’ awareness in cybercrime incidents?

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3. What is the observation of the respondents on the practices to prevent

cybercrime incidents in terms of:

3.1 proactive approach; and

3.2 reactive approach?

4. Is there a significant relationship between respondents’ awareness in

cybercrime incidents and the respondents’ practices to prevent cybercrime

incidents?

5. Is there a significant difference on the responses among the

respondents’ awareness in cybercrime incidents and their practices to

prevent cybercrime incidents?

NULL HYPOTHESES

The null hypotheses to be proven in the study were:

a. There is no significant relationship between the respondents’ awareness in

cyber libel incidents and practices that the respondents employ to protect

themselves from being a victim of cybercrime.

b. There is no significant difference on the responses among the respondents’

awareness in cyber libel incidents and their practices to protect themselves

from being a victim of cybercrime when grouped according to profile.

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SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study deals with the “Practices of selected BS criminology students of

Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa in Cybercrime”. It is limited only to fourth-year

criminology students who are enrolled in the cybercrime-related course with the

total of ninety-two (92) respondents. The locale of the study is the Kolehiyo ng

Lungsod ng Lipa located at Marawouy Lipa City. It is the most suitable to attain the

objective of the study, which is to determine the practices of the respondents when

it comes to cybercrime.

This study considers the fourth year Criminology students because they

already have knowledge and views about cybercrime and it is connected to their

course.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa. The result of this study may help the school to

develop cybercrime policies that would be beneficial in preventing cybercrime.

To The Community. It will be beneficial to the community or society for them to be

informed on cybercrime and can also gain knowledge on the study.

The Social Media Platform Users. This study can help social media platform

users to know the different types of cybercrime and how to protect themselves

from it.
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Bachelor of Science in Criminology Students. This study is significant for their

future profession and it can serve as a way to raise comprehension about

cybercrime

To the Researchers. This study will help them to increase their knowledge about

cybercrime. This can be a great help to them because this topic is part of the

subject matter that may be discussed in their professional courses.

Future Researchers. This research is made with the aim of providing pieces of

information and knowledge regarding the chosen topic that may contribute to their

study as their reference in conducting an interconnected study regarding

cybercrime.

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY/EXPECTED OUTPUT

The researchers urge the creation of this study which will aid in the practices

of fourth year criminology students on using social media in Kolehiyo ng Lungsod

ng Lipa on cybercrime and will help to lessen the number of cybercrime incidents

that are important for the public's security. Due to cybercrime-related incidences

and a need to study the practices and the awareness of cybercrime, the

researchers selected fourth year criminology students in Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng

Lipa. To do this, an evaluation of the respondents understanding of cybercrime and

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how it affects their opinion of using technology and social media in daily life will be

conducted.

LITERATURE REVIEW

In the study conducted by Beverly and Covey (2018), social media sites

such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube offer opportunities for users to interact

and share information not only with their friends and family but also with people

who have similar interests. The study also identified potential adverse effects of

social media on undergraduate studies, including internet addiction, distraction,

antisocial behavior, cyberbullying, and a decline in writing and spelling proficiency.

The authors conclude that the prevalent use of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram,

and YouTube for socialization, information, and academic purposes may contribute

to social media addiction among undergraduates.

In the study conducted by Rajasekharaiah et al. (2020), studies have shown

that many young people are unaware of the dangers of using technology, making

them more vulnerable to cybercrime.

According to the study of Adinya & Obono (2021), cybercrime has emerged

as a critical global concern with the increased use of technology in daily life.

Individuals use the internet for various things, including communication,

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entertainment, education, and work and it became essential. However, the internet

exposes us to several threats, such as cybercrime.

Chen et al. (2023) discussed that cybercrime has become a pervasive and

complex issue in todays interconnected world.

Based on the study of Kumar (2018), cyber libel is a form of online

defamation, shares core principles within traditional libel but faces unique

complexities due to the nature of digital space.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Awareness is having knowledge of consciousness.

Cybercrime is any crime done using computers, the internet, mobile phones, or

such electronic devices can be termed as cybercrime. It involves the use of digital

technologies to commit or facilitate various illegal activities such as theft, fraud,

cyberbullying, identity theft, hacking, phishing, malware attacks, and cyberstalking.

Cyber Libel a term used when someone has posted or emailed something that is

untrue and damaging about someone else on the Internet, including in message,

personal websites, social media, social networking sites, or other published

articles.

Cyberspace is the new medium of electronic communication, which is fast

outmoding, or even replacing the traditional methods of communication.

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Internet is the interconnection between networks. This allows us to share files with

another device through the network.

Practices are behaviors or activities that are performed regularly or routinely.

Practices can be related to a particular hobby.

Proactive approach to cybersecurity includes preemptively identifying security

weaknesses and adding processes to identify threats before they occur.

Reactive approach involves responding to incidents such as hacks and data

breaches after they occur.

Social Media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they

create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and

networks.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presents the methods and procedures that will be undertaken

by the researcher to obtain the objective. This further discusses the research

design, population and sampling techniques, the data gathering instrument, the

data gathering procedures as well as the statistical tools to be used in analyzing

and interpreting the data, and ethical considerations.

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RESEARCH DESIGN

The researchers adopt a quantitative approach, which involves collecting

numeric data and conducting statistical analyses to summarize the data, test

relationships, and/or compare across aggregated data (Coghlan & Brydon Miller,

2014). This approach was appropriate for this study, which aimed to collect and

analyze data from respondents in numerical form and perform statistical

treatments to derive beneficial conclusions and recommendations based on the

findings.

This study also utilizes survey and questionnaire methods of research.

Surveys are used as a method of gathering data in many different fields. As defined

by McCombes (2022), surveys are a good choice when you want to find out about

characteristics, opinions, preferences or beliefs of a group of people.

The researchers chose these methods in order to accomplish the objectives

of the study which is to determine the practices of the selected respondents in

Cybercrime as it provides fast, efficient and appropriate means of gathering data

using self-constructed questions, generally close ended that the respondents can

choose specific multiple-choice answers whether by agree or disagree or by yes

or no. And these can give the researchers an objective and precise results.
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POPULATION AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

The researchers are conducting the study in Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa,

chosen as the area of the study not only because of convenience but also to gather

necessary data from the respondents. The respondents were the fourth-year

students taking Bachelor of Science in Criminology, specifically those enrolled in a

cybercrime-related course. The researchers use purposive random sampling

technique, a non-probability sampling method to target the selected respondents

from the broader population of Bachelor of Science in Criminology students at the

aforementioned area of the study, aiming to gather more accurate and reliable

data. This technique involves intentionally selecting individuals with specialized

knowledge and direct experience relevant to the research question, with

participation contingent on both availability and willingness (Palinkas, 2013).

Consequently, the researchers decide to include all fourth-year students who are

enrolled in a cybercrime-related course as the study sample.

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT

Based on the existing literature and findings from previous researches, the

researchers will employ a self-constructed questionnaire through Google Forms.

This questionnaire comprises items designed to evaluate the practices of selected

Bachelor of Science in Criminology students at Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa

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regarding Cybercrime. The study utilizes a checklist-based research tool, which

will be divided into two parts:

Part I: It will focus on the respondents' demographic profiles that includes age, sex,

and number of hours in using social media per day.

Part II: It is also to be presented in checklist format, addressing the awareness of

the students in cybercrime incidents and the practices that the respondents’ employ

to protect themselves from being a victim of cybercrime.

A cover letter seeking respondent cooperation will be attached in the

questionnaire. The questionnaire itself provides clear instructions to guide

respondents in completing it effectively.

To ensure the questionnaire's validity, it will be subjected to careful

examination by a research professor and a criminologist with expertise in the field

of criminology. Following validation and necessary revisions, the self-constructed

questionnaire will undergo a reliability test to verify its suitability and accuracy in

measuring the study's parameters.

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DATA GATHERING PROCEDURES

The following processes will be followed during the data gathering

procedures. The formulation and validation of the study instrument was the first

step in data collection.

Survey is the most vital component of the study since it is considered as a

primary source of data that will answer the problem of the study. The researchers

will seek permission to the research professor and to the Dean of College of

Criminal Justice Education to conduct a survey in the said department. The

questionnaire’s link will be sent to the respondents and the researchers will explain

the contents carefully in order for them to answer it with honesty and integrity.

Thereafter, the questionnaire will be tallied, computed, analyzed, and interpreted.

The researcher will then obtain studies and literature to support the results of the

study. The researchers will also consult with personnel who they believe can help

to improve this study.

STATISTICAL TOOLS

The following statistical tools will be used in the study:

1. Percentage. These will be use to describe the profile of the respondents.

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2. Ranking. This tool will be used to determine the order of the indicators

mentioned in the study for a clearer interpretation of the perception of the

respondents.

3. Weighted Mean. This tool will be used to consolidate the perceptions of the

respondents, to have an in-depth interpretation of the profile of the

respondents.

4. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) or Chi-square test. This will be used

to determine the significant relationship between purpose of using social

media, respondents’ awareness in cybercrime incidents, and practices

that the respondents do to avoid being victim of cybercrime.

5. T-test or ANOVA. This will be used to determine the significant difference

on the responses among social media usage, respondents’ awareness in

cybercrime incidents and their practices to avoid being a victim of

cybercrime when grouped according to profile.

In analyzing and interpreting the retrieved responses, the researchers will

set the assigned weight for each option and the scale that determines the

aggregate responses.
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ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

Prior to the conduct of this study, the researchers seek permission to the

Dean of College of Criminal Justice Education for gathering of the pertinent data

and the distribution of questionnaire to the targeted respondents. The researchers

will provide explanation of the questionnaire for them to be guided in answering it.

The participation of the respondents on this study is entirely voluntary and the data

to be gathered will be treated with confidentiality at all times, and shall be used for

this research alone and would not be revealed to any other party who carries out

similar research study.

The researchers are the only one who will have the access on the records

and information to be gathered. If the respondents wish not to participate anymore,

they can inform the researchers without your job being affected.

At the end of this research, the researchers will prepare the final report that

the respondents and the College of Criminal Justice Education where the

participants are affiliated can access the result of the study and the

recommendation on the betterment of services offered to the public. Also, the

researchers give a copy of this study to the Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa Library

for ready reference for future researches.