Abuse of Social Media and Violation of Online Privacy:
Another prominent cyber-threat or issue faced in Vanuatu and globally is the ‘abuse of Social Media
and violation of Online Privacy.’ The previously mentioned reported cyber-threats and attacks are not
the only threats to Vanuatu’s national security.
Figure 2: Types of Reported Cyber-threats in 2018 and 2019
The use of social media in Vanuatu to infiltrate and abuse peoples’ personal privacy is also a critical
issue. For example, posting pieces of information (images, snapshots of text messages, etc.) of a
person without getting consents or approval do cause issues in communities, societies and even
in organizations. Although the information posted can either be legitimate or not, it is a breach of
one’s privacy. Other cases involve sharing of pornographic materials in closed and secret social media
groups which is a recurring issue in Vanuatu. In summary, social media in Vanuatu brings about the
following issues and social media-enabled crimes such as:
Cyberbullying or Cyberstalking;
Social Engineering;
Infiltrating online personal privacy;
Shaming and spreading hate speech to entertain bigger issues;
Having possession and/or sharing of pornographic materials;
Sextortion and online abuse;
Encouraging and spreading of fake news; and
Data Leakage (Leaking sensitive information to the public)
The above social media issues are based on reported cases. They are not directly associated with
cyber-threats to Vanuatu but has an impact on the societies and communities in Vanuatu.
3.4 Cyber Security Development in Vanuatu
Vanuatu’s liberty, prosperity and security depend upon an open and reliable access to information and
Internet. Hence, it is crucial that information security (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability | The CIA
Triad) and its application, forms the bases to proper information sharing and all processes associated
with facilitating the act of sharing information.
The Internet empowers technology users and improves lives by providing greater access to new
knowledge, essential services and businesses in Vanuatu and globally. While, the Internet and
Vanuatu’s Cyber Security Strategy 2030 |
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