IGF 2024 WS #168 Defending against Digital Deception: Prevent Identity Theft

    Organizer 1: Yee Man Ko , DotAsia

    Speaker 1: Alina Ustinova, Civil Society, Eastern European Group
    Speaker 2: Pan Pan Cheng, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 3: Benild Joseph, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
    Speaker 4: Athanase Bahizire, Technical Community, African Group

    Moderator

    Yee Man Ko , Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group

    Online Moderator

    Yee Man Ko , Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group

    Rapporteur

    Phyo Thiri Lwin, Technical Community, Asia-Pacific Group

    Format

    Roundtable
    Duration (minutes): 60
    Format description: Ensures the opportunity for speakers, who have been selected from diverse backgrounds, to share their expertise and insight into the topic in an engaging, discursive manner.
    Allows for in-depth discussion between the speakers to create meaningful discourse on their perspectives, to ultimately provide a mutual ground for discussing critical solutions.
    Enables participants to interact with the speakers and raise important questions on digital deception.

    By examining real-life scenarios and brainstorming preventive measures, participants will emerge equipped with practical strategies to safeguard their digital identities and navigate the complex online landscape with confidence. The participants will then be given a short session on different reasons behind such scams and will be divided into groups to identify whether the particular reason is present in their country or not. The interaction will then be concluded with a series of Q and A with moderators and experts.

    Policy Question(s)

    How are national and international laws applied in cyberspace in the context of online scams and identity theft
    What are the global and regional challenges and vulnerabilities?
    What could be the Practical strategies for preventing online scams and identity theft with roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders?
    How do current response mechanisms be enhanced and actions to take if targeted by a scam (e.g. cross-border data flow frameworks)?
    What is the role of cybersecurity awareness and education in enhancing digital resilience?

    What will participants gain from attending this session? Advanced knowledge on online scams and identity theft, new knowledge from other regions
    Resources and tools available for further learning and assistance
    Collaborative approaches for community protection and support

    Description:

    Nowadays, the number and complexity of online scams has been increasing with the convenience of data access by Internet. Instead of being anonymous in committing crime, stealing identity from someone has become a very common criminal pattern. Numerous jurisdictions in the globe have started to implement policies to reinforce identity verification in the retail industry such as mandatory sim card purchase registration. The intention was to better regulate SIM card services and combat offenses, as criminals have made use of anonymous pay-as-you-go cards to evade detection. However, the criminals have found a way out of this policy by stealing identity - which implies much more difficult tracking on criminal activity because criminals can still register a sim card with another person’s information. When it comes to commercial trading, the retailer is less capable of verifying the person’s information without advanced technology or legal power.

    We would formulate this common online safety issue into problem statements that enable the audience to discuss and brainstorm a way out with design thinking methodology

    Participants will delve into the intricacies of digital deception prevalent in the Asia-Pacific context. The session will start with an icebreaker activity, encouraging participants to share their own strategies for staying safe online. A cybersecurity expert will then provide insights into the unique threats faced by individuals and businesses, shedding light on common scams and identity theft methods.

    Expected Outcomes

    Solution Kit co-created by participants and experts, transferable resources and knowledge
    Network Expansion: Strengthened networks among participants, fostering ongoing exchange of knowledge, strategies, and collaborative efforts beyond the workshop.
    Action Plan for Collaboration: A roadmap for enhancing regional and international collaboration in monitoring, preventing, and countering digital scam, including mechanisms for sharing best practices and technologies.

    Hybrid Format: The session is going to ensure interactions through a Q&A and comment section in the online application where the session will be taking place (e.g. Zoom). Both online and onsite moderators will make sure that the questions and comments are not overlooked through effective communication, but play an important role throughout the session