Cyberspace Research Unit (CRU)

Mission

The Cyberspace Research Unit's mission is to:

• empower children and young people with the tools, knowledge and skills they need to navigate safely in cyberspace
• explore how criminals use the Internet and to examine the implications for investigative strategies

Strategic Aims

One of the key aims of the research unit is to provide training materials not only for children, but for all those who work with or for children. Crucially, the unit develops online safety advice and tailors it to reflect the ways in which children use the Internet. Our aim is to create an immersive programme of education designed to equip parents, carers, teachers and children, with the tools, knowledge and skills they need to navigate safely in the online environment.

The Cyberspace Research Unit also informs operational policing perspectives and risk assessment processes through a comprehensive analysis of online criminal activity. Through the application of a range of statistical techniques and qualitative analyses, the unit explores behavioural repertories of online criminals to afford insights into how individuals operate when engaging in illegal and harmful activities in an online context. Working closely with police, representatives of the research team speak at conferences and produce publications as the main vehicles for transmission and sharing of ideas in the arena.

History

The Cyberspace Research Unit was established by Rachel O'Connell in January 2000 as part of the Psychology Department at the University of Central Lancashire. The research unit secured funding from the European Commission in January 2001 to co-ordinate the ONCE Project (Online Children's Education). The aim of the project was to develop web based educational materials designed to empower parents, teachers, carers and children with the tools, knowledge and skills they need to navigate cyberspace safely.

The ONCE project was extremely successful and the Commission funded the Cyberspace Research Unit again, as UK co-ordinators of the Safe Borders project, a pan European network towards a multi-channel, multipurpose awareness campaign promoting the Safer Internet campaign. Since then, the work of the unit has been co-ordinated by Dr Jo Bryce and is involved in a number of research projects including Counter (examining counterfeit goods and online piracy).

If you would like to help in this research then please feel free to participate in the Counter Consumer Survey.

Cyberspace Research Unit Team

The Cyberspace Research Unit team is comprised of people with a broad knowledge base including psychology, forensic computing, information systems management, web and mutli-media skills, as well as education policy. The technical team's skill set includes graphic design, and character development, but also a core understanding of technical issues, which contributes to the development of education materials. The team also has strengths in the field of Human-Computer Interaction studies and have assisted in research studies in the arena of online gaming.

Members of the Cyberspace Research team currently sit on the Home Office Internet Task Force and the Department for Education and Skills Schools Internet Safety Strategy Group, and are frequently asked to provide guidance or feedback on Internet safety programs of education and resources, make presentations at conferences, and also to comment upon issues related to internet safety in the media.

The Cyberspace Research Unit's strengths lie in many areas: in its capacity as policy advisor, trainer, teacher, and media spokesperson, but principally as researcher. Research activities with respect to the impact of the Internet on specific sections of society are largely funded by external sources, the findings of which often contribute toward policy making at a governmental level. A variety of research methodologies and evidence-based practice inform the development, implementation and evaluation of programs of education, training and capacity building for a wide range of target audiences. At present our key audiences exist in education, law enforcement, and corporate spheres.

If you feel your organisation could benefit from a partnership with the Cyberspace Research Unit then please feel free to contact the Director of Research (Dr Jo Bryce)