New report: The serious cybercrimes facing women

The families of young Pakistanis say their relatives were duped into sharing blasphemous content by strangers online – Copyright AFP Aamir QURESHI

The data privacy provider Incogni and the U.S. based National Organization for Women (NOW) have combined resources to release new research on the impacts of online abuse against women, including revenge porn, AI deepfakes, doxxing, cyberstalking and more. NOW is a U.S. feminist grassroots organization.

These issues affect women’s safety, well-being, and human rights. The findings (“Online Abuse Against Women in the US”) are based on a survey of 5,110 adult women across the U.S., analyzing trends by age, ethnicity, geographic location, and impact.

Is the legal system biased?

The survey explores the most frequent forms of online abuse, analyzing trends by age, ethnicity, and geographic location. It also examines the accessibility of women’s personal data online and the risks of its exploitation by malicious actors.

The survey highlights the urgent need for reform in the U.S. legal system to better protect victims of online abuse. Here, 69 percent of respondents believe the law does not sufficiently shield women from cybercrime.

With no comprehensive federal data privacy law, no clear anti-doxxing legislation, and no regulations on AI-generated deepfakes, women remain highly vulnerable. Doxxing refers to the collection of a user’s private information, across multiple platforms (including social media) by an unauthorized individual, who then publishes the information in an attempt to shame or embarrass the user.

Quarter of women experience online harassment

The survey found that one in four women in the U.S. have experienced online harassment, with women from mixed racial backgrounds, Latina, and Hispanic women reporting the highest rates of abuse.

Of the different issues facing women, revenge porn and AI deepfakes, while accounting for a smaller share of cybercrimes, ranked among the most severe in terms of their impact. These are activities dominated by men and represent serious violations of female rights and autonomy.

An additional worry, raised by 84 percent of the survey, is where women fear that their personal data could be exploited by hackers or unauthorized parties, further emphasizing the critical need for stronger legal safeguards. Nearly 1 in 8 women reported suffering cybercrimes due to online availability of their personal data, highlighting the link between data privacy breaches and harmful exploitation.

An issue for wider society

“Online harassment extends beyond personal harm and has become a societal issue that deeply impacts women,” said Christian F Nunes, President of NOW stated. “Online abuse is increasingly taking on new and dangerous forms, like AI deepfakes, which are used to discredit and harm women in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. It’s crucial that we shift the conversation from seeing this as a tech issue to recognizing it as a personal safety and human rights issue that demands immediate action.”