Young people risk drifting into serious online offenses through a slippery slope of high-risk digital behavior

Inside the pathways into youth cybercrime

2026-01-14

(Press-News.org) New findings from the University of East London show that online risk-taking is widespread among young people, with behaviours such as digital piracy, accessing risky online spaces or engaging with harmful content having a high potential to lead to more serious offenses.

Interviews with convicted cybercriminals in the UK and Switzerland revealed a diverse cohort spanning a wide age range and offence types, from hacking and digital fraud to sexual offences carried out online. Nearly half (47%) reported engaging in illegal online behaviour early on, with many describing a gradual progression into more serious cybercrime, including identity theft, financial fraud and revenge pornography. Participants often spoke of patterns of repeat offending, with sexual and financial crimes frequently intersecting.

Several interviewees described how cybercrime emerged gradually, without a clear sense of crossing a legal boundary. One participant explained how early experimentation felt harmless at the time:

“When I was 14, I got suspended from school for hacking the school network. I used to get in to mark my homework as done, and I would vary the grades realistically too, so it didn’t look suspicious. I got away with it for ages until I told a mate and he ratted me out. But I started seeing tech as a useful problem solver.”

Others reflected on how boundaries blurred over time, with serious consequences only becoming clear years later:

“Don’t tarnish your reputation – it will never disappear. I really didn’t get the implications when I was younger. Now my Criminal Records Bureau check looks horrendous. I can never have a mortgage now.”

The research also reveals clear gender differences in online offending, with males more likely overall to engage in cybercrime and high-risk online behaviour (73.6%), compared to 64.6% of females. Males were significantly more likely to commit online hate speech (16.1% vs 6%) and revenge pornography (16.4% vs 5.6%). However, female involvement was higher than commonly assumed, with women slightly more likely to report tracking someone online (27.1% compared to 26.7% of males).

Professor Julia Davidson OBE, Director of the Institute for Connected Communities, and Dr Ruby Farr, Criminologist at the Institute for Connected Communities, University of East London, explore these patterns in a new book, examining how everyday online behaviour can draw young people into cybercrime, often without realising a legal boundary has been crossed.

Professor Julia Davidson OBE said:
“Our research shows clear pathways shaped by risk, opportunity and a lack of understanding about where the legal line sits online. Prevention must start early and involve families, educators, industry and policymakers working together.”

Dr Ruby Farr added:
“Listening to the lived experiences of convicted cybercriminals, who have perpetrated a range of crimes, is essential if we are serious about prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation.”

The research has informed and been discussed with a range of criminal justice stakeholders, including engagement with the National Crime Agency.

Deputy Director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said:
“This research is another important reminder of how vital it is to engage with young people at an early age, to help divert them from a cyber crime pathway. The NCA-led Cyber Choices campaign is a crucial programme, providing young people with the support and encouragement they need to use their cyber skills positively, directing them towards educational programmes, qualifications and job opportunities instead of criminality.”

“It also shows them that online offending isn’t victimless and can have serious real-world consequences, as seen with the ransomware attacks affecting British retailers and other sectors in the past few months.”

“A whole of society approach is needed here, with everyone playing their part, as law enforcement cannot tackle this issue alone.”

Published by Routledge, Pathways into and out of Youth Cybercrime: Research Findings and Reflections for Academics, Professionals and Policymakers draws on the CC-DRIVER research project, one of the most comprehensive European studies of youth cybercrime. The book brings together large-scale research data with in-depth interviews with young people convicted of cybercrime, offering insight into how cyber offending develops and how it can be prevented. The book is accompanied by a suite of free resources developed through the CC-DRIVER project for young people, parents, caregivers and educators.

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[Press-News.org] Young people risk drifting into serious online offenses through a slippery slope of high-risk digital behavior
Inside the pathways into youth cybercrime

Young people risk drifting into serious online offenses through a slippery slope of high-risk digital behavior

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