years1 – a demographic that also broadly corresponds with an age group often at special risk of criminal offending.2 The growth of mobile internet access Almost 1.2 billion mobile broadband subscriptions exist globally. This is twice as many as fixed-line broadband subscriptions, and corresponds to around 16 per cent of the global population.3 In 2009, the volume of global mobile data traffic overtook the volume of mobile voice traffic. Global mobile data Figure 1.2: Global internet connectivity 2000 ‐ 2011 traffic in 2011 was some 2.5 four times greater than Total internet users mobile voice traffic.4 2.0 Fixed (landline) broadband subscribers Africa and the Arab states show especially 1.5 high ratios of mobile broadband to fixed broadband, reflecting the 1.0 launch of high-speed 3G+ mobile networks and services in those regions, 0.5 coupled with the growth in handheld devices, including 0.0 smartphones and tablet 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 computers. By 2017, Source: ITU World Telecommunication ICT Indicators 2012 5 mobile GSM/EDGE technology is expected to cover more than 90 per cent of the world’s population, with 85 per cent of the population accessing WCDMA/HSPA6 mobile technology, at speeds of up to 2Mb per second. Forecasts suggest that the number of mobile broadband subscriptions will reach five billion by the year 2017. In 2011, the number of networked devices – the so-called ‘internet of things’ – overtook the total global population. By 2020, the number of connected devices may outnumber connected people by six to one, potentially transforming current conceptions of the internet.7 Whereas connected persons currently have at least one or both of two devices connected to the internet (typically a computer and smartphone), this could rise to seven devices by 2015.8 In the ‘internet of things,’ objects such as household appliances, vehicles, power and water meters, medicines or even personal belongings such as clothes, will be capable of being assigned an IP address, and of identifying themselves and communicating using technology such as RFID and NFC.9 Billions Mobile broadband subscribers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 International Telecommunication Union, 2012. Measuring the Information Society, and World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database. See also Moore, R., Guntupalli, N.T., and Lee, T., 2010. Parental regulation and online activities: Examining factors that influence a youth’s potential to become a victim of online harassment. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 4(1&2):685–698. European Commission, 2012. Special Eurobarometer 390: Cyber Security Report. See also Fawn, T. and Paternoster, R., 2011. Cybercrime Victimization: An examination of individual and situational level factors. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 5(1):773-793, 782. International Telecommunication Union, 2012. Measuring the Information Society, and World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database. Ericsson, 2012. Traffic and Market Report. Global System for Mobile Communications/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution, or EGPRS. Wideband Code Division Multiple Access/High Speed Packet Access. International Telecommunication Union, 2012. The State of Broadband 2012: Achieving Digital Inclusion For All. European Commission, 2012. Digital Agenda: Commission consults on rules for wirelessly connected devices – the ‘Internet of Things.’ Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=IoTGovernance Radio-frequency identification and Near field communication. 2