Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is commonly searched for on the open web. This study evaluates the reThink chatbot that was integrated into a warning message page on Pornhub in the United Kingdom (UK). The chatbot directs users searching for CSAM to the StopItNow support service. Evaluation data showed a significant decrease in CSAM searches following the chatbot's deployment, suggesting its disruptive effect. These findings highlight the potential for situational crime prevention strategies in mitigating CSAM within mainstream pornography platforms and demonstrate the potential of collaborative efforts between technology companies, law enforcement, and support organizations in combating engagement with CSAM online.

Automated warning messages—pop-ups, interstitials and conversational agents that interrupt attempts to access child sexual abuse material (CSAM)—can produce substantial short-term reductions in offending behaviour. In criminological terms, the present model is concerned specifically with primary desistance: the initial lull, interruption or break in offending, rather than sustained cessation, secondary desistance or tertiary desistance. Repeated-warning exposure is governed by two opposing psychological forces that a recent review identified but did not reconcile: cumulative sensitisation, whereby repeated exposure raises perceived risk, and habituation, whereby repeated exposure erodes salience. We develop a dual-process (opponent-process) dynamical model in which perceived risk and attentional salience evolve across discrete warning events. The model admits closed-form periodic steady states, which we verify against a simulation and calibrate so that a fresh, credible warning produces event-level primary desistance on approximately 62% of attempts, matching the upper range of reported randomised-trial effects. We show that the two processes are oppositely monotone in the inter-exposure interval, so that per-warning efficacy can be non-monotone with an interior optimum. Under the illustrative baseline calibration, the model predicts that efficacy per warning peaks at about 0.82 at an interval of approximately 18 days. This is a mathematical optimum for the specified per-warning objective, not an empirically validated deployment rule: operationally preferred cadences may differ because social expectations, harm-reduction objectives, platform architectures and technical feasibility need not align with the same objective. We then formalise polymorphic warnings and relax the optimistic assumption that habituation is entirely variant-specific by allowing a proportion of habituation to generalise across warning variants. This shows when warning variety can preserve salience and when its benefit is eroded by cross-variant familiarity. The framework converts qualitative design hypotheses into quantitative, testable predictions that can guide the next generation of targeted repeated-exposure experiments. Because the calibration is anchored in single-exposure studies rather than repeated-warning schedules, the predicted cadence and repeated-exposure effects remain model-generated hypotheses requiring direct longitudinal validation.

Background Adolescents face a variety of potential harms in the online environment, including exposure to distressing illegal material, cyberbullying, image-based abuse, and “sextortion.” Various agencies provide on-demand helpline and information services for children and adolescents to support them with navigating online (and offline) harms. Objective This study examined whether a chat-based conversational agent (chatbot) might be a useful additional tool for meeting the needs of adolescents at risk from online harms. We developed a prototype chatbot—including both conversational and menu-driven user options—and evaluated users’ trust in the chatbot. In this context, trust relates to perceptions of the chatbot’s usability and the value of the information and support it provides. Methods Participants (n=224; mean age 16.8 years) interacted with the chatbots and evaluated them in terms of user trust: perceived usability and utility (ie, relevance of support resources provided). Results Most participants (conversational chatbot: 141/224, 63% and menu-driven chatbot: 142/224, 63%) showed a willingness to click on the chatbots’ recommended support links. Participants with higher trust in the chatbots were more likely to click the links for recommended support services (with extreme evidence for large effects: δ=0.73, 95% credible interval [CrI] 0.46-1.00 and δ=0.78, 95% CrI 0.50-1.07, for the conversational and menu-driven chatbots, respectively; Bayes factor [BF10]>50,000), and participants who clicked the links, compared with those who did not, reported higher rates of positive attitudes toward their decision (with extreme evidence for large effects: δ=0.87, 95% CrI 0.58-1.15 and δ=0.84, 95% CrI 0.54-1.12, for the conversational and menu-driven chatbots, respectively; BF10>3,000,000). The conversational and menu-driven chatbots differed little in perceived trust or effectiveness. Conclusions Chatbots represent a promising additional tool to help adolescents access mental health–related support services and navigate online harms. However, establishing trust is critical.

Automated warning messages for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) desistance are scalable, real-time digital interventions designed to interrupt user behaviors associated with the search for, access to, consumption, or distribution of CSAM by delivering salient prompts—such as pop-ups, overlays, embedded alerts, or chatbot interactions—when high-risk online actions are detected (e.g., the use of flagged search terms, attempts to access known URLs, or engagement with borderline exploitative content). Unlike traditional law enforcement responses that typically occur after an offence, these systems intervene at the point of risk, adopting a preventive rather than punitive approach grounded in situational crime prevention theory and behavioral science, particularly cognitive interruption, to reduce perceived anonymity, increase awareness of legal and moral consequences, reinforce social norms, and redirect users toward desistance or support services. When deployed credibly and ethically, automated warning messages function as a critical complement to conventional enforcement by enabling early, scalable intervention that promotes behavioral reflection, desistance, and harm reduction within digital environments.

Google Search deploys a "Onebox" feature at the top of the results page when users conduct searches for Child Sexual Abuse Material. This study evaluates the impact of a strategic shift in this feature, comparing a revised intervention, focused on repercussions and therapeutic resources, to a previous iteration that focused on reporting. Using a difference-in-differences analysis of internal Google Search logs data, we found the new messaging resulted in a 3.8 percentage point reduction as compared to the status quo in subsequent CSAM-related queries within the same Search session. We found an average click through rate of 0.73

The Nordic countries enjoy some of the highest incomes and standards of living globally. For historical reasons involving the support of liberty and freedoms, some Nordic countries have been associated with piracy, especially the infamous site “The Pirate Bay”. Notwithstanding the social and economic harms caused by piracy, it has been shown in many countries and regions around the world to pose quantifiably higher consumer cybersecurity risks compared to other sites. In this study, we measured the Relative Risk (RR) of encountering a cyber threat on a sample of IPTV Subscription Services, P2P, illicit streaming and fraudulent sites in the Nordic countries. Relative risk is like comparing how likely something is to happen in one situation compared to another. Let's say you're looking at the chance of getting a virus if you use a piracy service every day versus if you don't. The relative risk would tell you how much more likely you are to get a virus by using a piracy service compared to not using it. If the relative risk is 2, it means you're twice as likely to get a virus by using a piracy service every day compared to not using one. In the worst case scenario, we found that Norway had the highest RR of 19.3, while Denmark had the lowest RR of 11.8 for P2P sites; Sweden had the highest RR of 25.3 for streaming sites, while Iceland had the lowest RR of 16.5; Norway had the highest RR of 21.0 for fraud sites, while Finland and Iceland had the lowest RR of 15.0. For IPTV Subscription Services in Sweden, the RR was 4.0. We used cyber threat data from Google’s VirusTotal product, which pools cyber risk data from more than 90 cybersecurity companies, to estimate the relative risk, and we used a control set of the most popular mainstream sites to measure a baseline. The significantly higher cyber risk for piracy sites is not surprising, given the findings from other markets. However, given the relatively high economic standing of citizens in the Nordic countries, the potential financial losses for consumers are very high. With the increase in usage of IPTV Subscription Services in the Nordic region, we also investigate the shift – as revealed by threat modelling – from consumers being the direct target of cyber attacks, focused on identity theft and identity fraud, to potentially being the unwitting conduits of broader attacks against corporate networks and critical infrastructure. Threats in this category are aligned to the hardware and software used to facilitate access and are less from the websites providing the services. Analysis of this software reveals that they commonly contain either explicit malware or behaviours that align to the MITRE ATT&CK Framework as suspicious and represent vulnerabilities that could be leveraged against networks where these devices are installed. We conclude by exploring potential mitigations to reduce cyber risk, including regulatory reform, consumer education and awareness, and improved resourcing for law enforcement.

The maritime cyber risk management guidelines developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) highlight communication as a key aspect of the risk management process. This research sought to build upon previous studies highlighting incident communication as a critical part of the ship-to-SOC cyber incident management process. This research adopted a single case study-mixed methods design (CS-MM) featuring a primary case study that includes a nested mixed methods approach. The site for the case study was an M-SOC. The first phase of the case study involved interviews with 5 M-SOC personnel. For the second phase, an exploratory sequential design was applied. The quantitative data collection involved a survey with 10 vessel Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) professionals, with 3 follow-up interviews conducted for the qualitative data collection stage. Our findings highlighted how a cyber incident dashboard and alert report complement each other in creating a shared recognised cyber picture (sRCP) between all the vessel incident management stakeholders. The sRCP, therefore, becomes the actionable element of the communication. The case study also sheds light on practical design considerations for enhancing the cyber situation awareness (CSA) of vessel cyber incident dashboards. Specifically, survey results revealed that highlighting the cyber risk of non-response to a security warning was the highest-ranked contextual information. Additionally, detection of potentially suspicious activity emerged as the risk finding that vessel IT teams highlighted as having the highest notification priority. Finally, the top alert grouping approaches were by warning type and by priority.

Objectives: Residential aged care (RAC) facilities globally lag in implementing digital health systems due to factors like non-profit status, workforce challenges, and limited solutions. Successful adoption of digital health solutions necessitates workforce support and ongoing training. This scoping review examines the current state of research regarding workforce readiness for digital technology adoption in RAC. Methods: The review employed scoping methodology following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Databases including Web of Science, Medline Ovid, Ovid Emcare, JBI EBP Database, CINAHL, and reference lists were searched using relevant keywords and MeSH terms. Results: Out of 458 screened articles, 21 were included for analysis. Three key themes emerged as influences on RAC workforce preparedness and technology adoption: Capability, Digital Governance, and Collaboration. Conclusion: Effective RAC workforce preparation in technology adoption requires a holistic approach, involving strong leadership, adequate resources, and continuous support. The literature on workforce development in RAC with digital technologies remains limited, necessitating further research.

Adolescents encounter numerous online challenges, including privacy breaches, cyberbullying, and online sexual harm, jeopardizing their well-being. Traditional interventions like counseling and educational programs are crucial but face accessibility and resource constraints. However, emerging technologies present new possibilities. Chatbots, known for their versatility in providing support, are gaining traction as a viable solution for adolescent online safety and mental health. This study investigates the potential of chatbots in aiding adolescents affected by online harms by conducting focus groups with students and pastoral care staff. Through thematic analysis, functional requirements for an effective chatbot were developed, revealing their capability to deliver immediate, personalized support, thereby mitigating barriers like cost and stigma associated with seeking professional help. This research underscores the importance of participatory design in crafting interventions that effectively meet adolescents' mental health needs and combat online harms.

With the increasing number of individuals accessing online child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), there is an urgent need for primary prevention strategies to supplement the traditional focus on arrest and prosecution. We examined whether online warning messages would dissuade individuals from visiting a honeypot website purporting to contain barely legal pornography. Participants (n = 419) seeking the site were randomly assigned to one of five conditions; they went straight to the landing page (control; n = 100) or encountered a warning message advising of the potential harm to viewers (n = 74), potential harm to victims (n = 65), ability of police to track IP addresses (n = 81), or possible illegality of such pornography (n = 99). We measured the attempted click-through to the site. Attrition rates for the warning message conditions were 38% to 52%, compared with 27% for the control group. The most effective messages were those that warned that IP addresses can be traced (odds ratio [OR] = 2.64) and that the pornography may be illegal (OR = 2.99). We argue that warning messages offer a valuable and cost-effective strategy that can be scaled up to help reduce the accessing of CSEM online.

This project evaluated the reThink Chatbot, which was deployed on the Pornhub website in the United Kingdom in March 2022. The chatbot was designed to direct individuals attempting to search for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on Pornhub in the UK to support services called Stop It Now, provided by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF). The chatbot was displayed 2.8 million times between March 2022 and August 2023, resulting in 1,656 requests for more information and Stop It Now services; 490 click-throughs to the Stop It Now website; and approximately 68 calls and chats to the Stop It Now anonymous counselling service. There is a statistically significant trend showing a decrease in the number of searches for CSAM material on Pornhub in the UK during the length of the intervention.

Increasingly disruptive cyber-attacks in the maritime domain have led to more efforts being focused on enhancing cyber resilience. From a regulatory perspective, there is a requirement that maritime stakeholders implement measures that would enable the timely detection of cyber events, leading to the adoption of Maritime Security Operation Centers (M-SOCs). At the same time, Remote Operation Centers (ROCs) are also being discussed to enable increased adoption of highly automated and autonomous technologies, which could further impact the attack surface of vessels. The main objective of this research was therefore to better understand both enabling factors and challenges impacting the effectiveness of M-SOC operations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine M-SOC experts. Informed by grounded theory, incident management emerged as the core category. By focusing on the factors that make M-SOC operations a unique undertaking, the main contribution of this study is that it highlights how maritime connectivity challenges and domain knowledge impact the M-SOC incident management process. Additionally, we have related the findings to a future where M-SOC and ROC operations could be converged.

The increased adoption of digital systems in the maritime domain has led to concerns about cyber resilience, especially in the wake of increasingly disruptive cyber-attacks. This has seen vessel operators increasingly adopt Maritime Security Operation Centers (M-SOCs), an action in line with one of the cyber resilience engineering techniques known as adaptive response, whose purpose is to optimize the ability to respond promptly to attacks. This research sought to investigate the domain-specific human factors that influence the adaptive response capabilities of M-SOC analysts to vessel cyber threats. Through collecting interview data and subsequent thematic analysis informed by grounded theory, cyber awareness of both crew onboard and vessel operators emerged as a pressing domain-specific challenge impacting M-SOC analysts' adaptive response. The key takeaway from this study is that vessel operators remain pivotal in supporting the M-SOC analysts’ adaptive response processes through resource allocation towards operational technology (OT) monitoring and cyber personnel staffing onboard the vessels.

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) provides a foundational framework for maritime education and training (MET). However, variations in its interpretation across different nations and institutions lead to diverse teaching practices and strategies. This diversity stems from differences in national regulations, resources, cultures, and the perspectives of institutions and instructors. This study introduces a concept map to scaffold the key concepts influencing maritime simulator-based education. By examining both the education system and student factors, the concept map offers insights into these various factors through observations from simulator-based teaching sessions and discussions with maritime educators and students. This tool can help identify differences and highlight good practices. It is a valuable resource for stakeholders, promoting a novel approach to developing an effective, comprehensive, coherent maritime simulator-based education.

Aim: This paper describes the collaborative approaches used to design microcredentials in digital health and cybersecurity. The project was initiated to design and deliver educational products to address specific skills shortages and align outcomes with Australian and International skills and professional competency frameworks. Approach: The co-design process was guided by a proven model for educational design, involving interdisciplinary teams and emphasising rapid prototyping to ensure industry relevance and on time delivery. Partnerships with industry and professional associations were built to develop and deploy the microcredentials within a six-month timeframe. Main Findings and Conclusion: Key success factors included trust, mutual respect, and effective communication among partners. The co-design process highlighted the benefits of collaboration, the importance of alignment with competency frameworks, and the lessons learned in creating educational products that satisfy learner, academic and industry needs. The paper concludes that co-designing microcredentials with industry and professional associations is an effective approach to delivering educational products that address workforce skills and professional knowledge gaps.

Clinical narratives recording behaviours and emotions of patients are available from EHRs in a forensic psychiatric centre located in Tasmania. This rich data has not been used in risk prediction. Prior work demonstrates natural language processing can be used to identify patient symptoms in these free-text records and can then be used to predict risk. Four dictionaries containing descriptive words of harm were created using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the Unified Medical Language System repository, English negative and positive sentiment words, and high-frequency words from the Corpus of Contemporary American English. However, a model based only on these keywords is limited in predictive power. In this study, we introduce an improved NLP approach with a social interaction component to extract additional information about the behavioural and emotional state of patients. These social interactions are subsequently used in a machine-learning model to enhance risk prediction performance.