B7804 - CYBERSECURITY, CONTROLLO E CRIMINALITA' NELLA SOCIETA' ONLIFE

Learning outcomes

This course offers a critical perspective on the criminological analysis of the digital society. Starting from the assumption that crime is a social construct—shaped by legal, political, cultural definitions and by the selective enforcement practices applied within specific contexts—the course aims to provide analytical tools to understand the transformations affecting both the definitions of crime and the mechanisms of control employed to address what are, from time to time, framed as threats.

The course is designed to equip students with the theoretical and analytical competencies needed to critically assess the risks associated with cybersecurity protection for citizens (and non-citizens alike), the potential for discrimination, and the criminalization processes targeting specific groups. It emphasizes how threats to users’ safety in cyberspace also become threats to the physical and social integrity of individuals who increasingly live in an "onlife" condition—where the boundaries between online and offline life are blurred.

Course contents

The course offers a critical criminological analysis of the transformations affecting security, social control, and the production of criminality in the digital age, with particular attention to the "onlife" dimension—where the boundary between online and offline becomes increasingly blurred. The course begins by exploring the critical criminology approach, examining how it has challenged the presumed neutrality of penal science and highlighted the historically and socially constructed nature of crime. This theoretical perspective is then revisited in light of digital technologies, in order to investigate how technological infrastructures themselves participate in the production of norms, deviance, and mechanisms of control.

A key focus of the course is the concept of datification—the transformation of social phenomena into data—and the role that big data play in the production and regulation of crime. It analyzes how information is collected, aggregated, and rendered intelligible through algorithmic models, as well as the social, epistemological, and political implications of these processes. Special attention is devoted to the use of big data in predictive surveillance, crime prevention, and investigative practices, emphasizing how these tools not only interpret reality but also actively construct and reproduce it, often according to opaque and discriminatory logics.

The course then addresses the issue of cybersecurity and its relationship with policing, examining how law enforcement agencies are adapting to the digital society through new intervention models—such as predictive policing—and through increasingly integrated technological infrastructures, including cyber operations centers and interoperable datasets. It critically discusses both the theoretical and practical challenges arising from the intersection of big data, algorithms, and policing, highlighting the risk that such tools may reinforce security-driven logics, exacerbate social inequalities, and undermine fundamental rights.

Finally, a dedicated section focuses on the Italian context, analyzing the main data-driven policing tools currently in use (such as XLAW, KeyCrime, and GIOVE), as well as the institutional frameworks involved in cybersecurity and cyber policing, including the Cybersecurity Operations Center and the newly established Directorate for Scientific and Cybersecurity Police. The course concludes with a critical reflection on the risks associated with algorithmic control—such as discrimination, privacy violations, and the influence of private actors—and on the central role that critical criminology can play in deconstructing technological narratives and affirming the need for a just, transparent, and democratic approach to security.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students
Attending students are required to study the following texts:

• Andrea Di Nicola (2021), Criminalità e criminologia nella società digitale [Crime and Criminology in the Digital Society], Franco Angeli, pp. 9–112.

• Sanja Milivojevic (2021), Crime and Punishment in the Future Internet: Digital Frontier Technologies and Criminology in the Twenty-First Century, Routledge, pp. 1–59.

• Anastasia Powell, Gregory Stratton, Robin Cameron (2018), Digital Criminology: Crime and Justice in Digital Society, Routledge, pp. 1–41.

Additional articles and readings will be provided during the course as further insights into specific topics.

Non-attending students
In addition to the readings required for attending students, non-attending students must also study the following book:

• Gabriele D'Angelo, Giampiero Giacomello (2023), Cybersicurezza: Che cos’è e come funziona [Cybersecurity: What It Is and How It Works], Il Mulino.

Monographic reading (attending and non-attending students)
All students, regardless of attendance, must also select and study one of the following monographic texts:

• Sarah Brayne (2020), Surveil and Predict: Data, Discretion and the Future of Policing, Oxford University Press, pp. 11–140.

• E. E. Korkmaz (2024), Smart Borders, Digital Identity and Big Data: How Surveillance Technologies Are Used Against Migrants, Bristol University Press.

Teaching methods

Lectures with audiovisual support; in-class discussions, including work in small groups; analysis of real-life case studies; individual or group presentations by participants.

Assessment methods

For attending students, assessment will be structured in three parts:

• A midterm written exam (50% of the final grade), consisting of 4 open-ended questions to be completed in one hour. This test is aimed at evaluating the understanding of fundamental concepts, mastery of disciplinary language, and argumentative skills;

• An individual or group presentation in class (20%), designed to assess the ability to critically apply the knowledge acquired during the course;

• A final individual oral exam (30%), based on one of the elective texts included in the syllabus, intended to explore specific topics and evaluate the originality of critical thinking.

For non-attending students, assessment will consist of a single oral exam covering the required texts and one of the elective books.

In all cases, grades will be expressed on a scale of thirty (out of 30). Particular attention will be given to the relevance and completeness of the answers, the consistency of the argumentation, the appropriate use of disciplinary language, the ability to critically engage with the material, and the capacity to navigate the assigned readings in an informed manner. Independent thinking, comparison between theoretical approaches, and the effective use of examples to support arguments will be particularly valued.

• A comprehensive understanding of the course topics, coupled with a critical use of acquired knowledge, clear expression, and appropriate use of disciplinary terminology, will be rewarded with very good or excellent grades (27–30/30).

• A predominantly rote or mechanical knowledge of the subject, limited analytical and synthesis skills, and imprecise language will lead to average grades (22–26/30).

• Basic knowledge with significant gaps and inadequate language use, though showing a minimum understanding of the required material, will result in pass-level grades (18–21/30).

• Significant gaps, inappropriate language, and difficulty in engaging with course materials will result in a failing grade (below 18/30).

Erasmus and Overseas students are required to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course.

Notice for students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD): Students are encouraged to contact the University support service in advance:
https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en
The office will provide any necessary accommodations, which must be submitted to the instructor for approval at least 15 days prior to the exam. The instructor will evaluate the request in light of the course's learning objectives.

Teaching tools

Computer and projector; PowerPoint presentations; audiovisual materials. Additional resources will be made available on the VIRTUALE platform.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Fabini