Cybercrime through the public lens: a longitudinal analysis

In the digital age, cybercrime has emerged as a formidable challenge with complex human and socio-economic ramifications. This study delves into the multifaceted impacts of cybercrime by analyzing public sentiments and societal reactions as reflected in online discourses, specifically within the realm of Reddit. Through a detailed extraction process focused on cybercrime-related keywords, our analysis delved into over 6700 posts and 100,000+ comments, uncovering prevalent themes and emotions in the discourse across five significant subreddits related to technology and global news from 2008 to 2022. By filtering for posts with primarily negative sentiments, we gained insights into the dominant emotional currents shaping these discussions. Our methodological framework integrated sentiment analysis, BERTopic modeling, and emotion classification using the advanced Gemini LLM. The thematic exploration revealed critical areas of public concern and discourse patterns, shedding light on prevalent topics such as data breaches, cyber-attacks, ransomware attacks, Chinese hacking, and the Iran-Israel conflict, amongst others, that captivate and provoke the online community. Furthermore, our investigation into the emotional landscape of these discussions uncovers a significant prevalence of anger, fear, sarcasm, and other emotions offering profound insights into the psychological and emotional responses elicited by cybercriminal activities. The correlation between the sentiments expressed in original posts and the emotional tones of subsequent comments provides a better understanding of the community’s stance and the collective emotional experience through the discourse. The implications of our findings are far-reaching, extending beyond academic interest to inform policymakers, media professionals, and various stakeholders involved in the realm of digital security. By decoding the public’s reaction to cybercrime through the lens of online discussions, this study contributes to a deeper comprehension of the societal impacts of digital threats.