MARANG: More than 70 per cent of students, especially young women, admit that they had been victims of 'smartphone abuse.'
UCSI University Terengganu chief operating officer Prof Dr Mohd Kamil Hassan said that many of them had unknowingly been trapped by unscrupulous persons who threatened or blackmailed them.
“This happened after they had innocently posted sensitive words, photos or videos via social media like Wechat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and email.
“Some of them even became victims after their smartphones were hacked by culprits while they used the local WiFi network at eateries or other public places,” he said, adding that these were among the information gleaned by the university on the subject.
Kamil said smartphone usage has become a way of life for nearly everyone but many, even adults, are unaware of the risks involved when using them.
“If they are not careful, the victims can end up poorer or lose their dignity,” he said after at an information technology awareness programme, ‘Who Am I In This Virtual World’, for UCSI students at its campus here.
The two-day programme was facilitated by Onemyr Awareness Management Sdn Bhd and Yayasan Terengganu.
The programme, he said, was to educate and raise awareness among students on the threat of cybercrime.
“We hope the programme will provide an insight for them to become smart consumers, be prudent, responsible and prevent themselves from becoming victims of cyber criminals.
“We also want to warn them of the consequences of being caught if they flouted the local laws and regulations,” said Kamil.
He said that smartphones are a necessity and useful tool for both young and old, especially in today’s era of online education and communication.
Kamil urged the students to take extra precaution to secure their smartphones and be wary on its usage as data on their devices could be tapped and taken advantage of by culprits.