“Portugal has leading university institutions and recognized experts in cybersecurity issues and the fight for citizens’ rights in the virtual space”assesses professor Eduardo Vera-Cruz Pinto, coordinator of the National Center for Legal Innovation (CNIJ). This week, the venue hosts the conference “Cybersecurity and Transparency – Digital Fraud”, dedicated to the analysis of digital crime and the search for more effective responses to protect citizens, companies and institutions.
In an interview with DN, the professor highlights that “professional training and higher education are of high quality and awareness campaigns about digital rights and the fight against fraud are producing visible effects in Brazilian society”. The difficulty lies in technological dependence.
“The European Union’s cybersecurity policy is the most advanced in defending the most fragile among Internet users and in repressing abuses by large digital companies, although it still suffers from technological dependencies on the USA, which are always difficult to overcome”he states.
The conference, which begins this Thursday, March 12, and will last two days, will feature debates on telephone fraud in the digital horizon, banking systems, cryptoassets and digital transparency, as well as on “Cybersecurity: new approaches to supporting and empowering victims”, with the presence of Rui Cardoso, director of the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP).
According to the school coordinator, it is also important that the discussion about digital literacy takes place in different spaces. “This is continuous and never-ending work, which requires specific pedagogies for different age groups.”
According to the professor, there are those who take advantage of this gap. “Criminal networks that took advantage of the illiteracy of older people and children and young adolescents revealed the need to adapt training programs, decentralize your application and place them in context, with support from the public network for isolated elderly people and teenagers addicted to social networks”, he details.
In the professor’s view, public policies in this matter are necessary. “It is the State’s task to define and apply appropriate public policies to this end, but this responsibility must also be shared by families, student and retired associations and social support institutions“, he states. This can also be seen as prevention, as repression alone is not enough.
Eduardo Vera-Cruz Pinto defends more public knowledge as a form of prevention. “The problem of crime – whatever the area in question – is not treated solely with repressive measures. Create awareness about the risks of using the Internet and the programs and proposals made available in the digital space and be informed, in an up-to-date manner, about the ways in which criminal networks operateas well as avoiding risky behavior and adopting safety practices, helps prevent it”, he argues.
In this context, the State is called upon again. “It is also important to have public institutions that monitor potential victims, providing advice quickly and appropriately and — for those who have been victims of digital fraud — providing psychological and financial support programs that help mitigate the effects that this event has on their lives”, he highlights.
“Teaching is a weak point”
Regarding the academic curricula in this matter, the teacher believes that improvement is needed. “The adequacy and updating of curriculum plans for courses on cybersecurity, cybercrime, cyberdefense, transparency and citizenship in the digital space, among many other related topics, This is a weak point in university education in this matter”, analysis.
According to the teacher, this is due to the education system itself. “It is due to the forms of government and organization of institutions imposed by a set of laws that adopted imported models, with some disrespect for university autonomy, which begins in the disciplines, departments and schools, where the teachers and students are. Unfortunately, nothing changes and what changes is for the worse”, criticizes.
And he goes further in his criticism. “The university is trapped in a web of rules, bureaucracies and various dependencies that the law allows, perpetuating scientific, pedagogical and didactic practices and maintaining a dominant mentality that resists change”, he adds.
On the other hand, he sees signs of improvement in some cases. “There are very positive signs of a university ahead of its time, when freedom is given to course coordinators and autonomy to the faculties where they teach. In terms of cybersecurity law and related disciplines, the offer is of high quality and the curricular plans are, with some rare exceptions, up to date”, he praises. Still, he understands that “the published programs reveal the present, but some lack of curricular boldness is recognized, whether in training or teaching”.
Regarding the repression of these crimes, the school coordinator defends more measures. “The Civil Police are prepared, work as a network and have very positive results in combating this type of crime. But the resources are always insufficient and crime is always one step ahead of the police. The Public Ministry and the judicial judiciary have been very attentive in training and updating their magistrates”, he highlights.
Eduardo Vera-Cruz Pinto defends the creation of a kind of “council of wise men” to discuss these and other issues. “I have advocated for many years the creation of a Council of Wise Men (designated by colleges that have courses and research in this area) to think about policies and propose standards, training courses, mentalities to create and school education to offer”, explains.
However, he considers that the topic has not been a political priority. “The State — as always — preferred another type of council, with holders of positions and duties, with teachers chosen by the government. One thing is one thing; another thing is another thing. A gap remains to be filled in the digital protection of our democracy and our citizenship that the current regulatory framework does not cover”, he concludes.
amanda.lima@dn.pt
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