Teens to fight cybercrime

The Australian Federal Police have partnered up with local teens in an effort to fight cybercrime. The AFP admits that teens are more net savvy than their agent counterparts…

The Australian Federal Police have partnered up with local teens in an effort to fight cybercrime. The AFP admits that teens are more net savvy than their agent counterparts and have recruited a number of teenagers, some as young as 14 to aid them in their search for cyber fraudsters, predators and teen terrorists….

The move is part of a worldwide initiative between 27 countries including the US, UK and Canada to help fight e-crime.

AFP high tech crime centre head Kevin Zuccato said: “We realised the only way to do that effectively was to listen to digital natives, the young people of today and those born into the internet”.

“It’s almost programmed into their DNA how to use technology and how to navigate around the ocean that is the internet.”

“For us 30-, 40-, 50-year-old police officers, policy makers and government officials, it’s impossible – in my view – to develop appropriate effective strategies unless we listen to the people we’re trying to protect.”

Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Zuccato said teens gave valuable advice on the ins and out of young people’s net and mobile phone usage.

“(The teens) can help us dissuade criminals, educate children to stay safe online, empower themselves to make the right decisions online and if we can provide policies with their information that means we minimise the number of victims,”