دور الصحافة الإلكترونية في توعية الفتيات من مخاطر القرصنة الإلكترونية (دراسة ميدانية)

Abstract

This study aims to identify the role of electronic journalism in raising girls’ awareness of the risks of cyber piracy and to examine the effectiveness of digital media content in enhancing cybersecurity awareness among female university students. The significance of the study stems from the increasing reliance on the Internet and digital media, accompanied by the growing risks of hacking and cyber extortion targeting young people, particularly girls.

The study adopted the descriptive survey method and employed a questionnaire as the primary instrument for data collection from a sample of 210 female students at the University of Bilad Alrafidain. It also drew on Media Dependency Theory as a theoretical framework for interpreting the relationship between exposure to electronic journalism and the level of digital awareness among girls. The study reached several findings, most notably that the majority of female students rely on electronic journalism as a source of information about the risks of cyber piracy, while their level of exposure to awareness-raising content was found to be moderate. The findings also indicated that the students’ level of awareness of the risks of cyber piracy was moderate, with electronic journalism having a clear effect on promoting safe digital behavior. The study further revealed that the most prominent preventive practices employed by the students included avoiding suspicious links and using strong passwords. At the same time, inadequate media content was identified as one of the major obstacles limiting the effectiveness of awareness-raising messages. The study concludes that electronic journalism plays an important role in promoting digital awareness among girls; however, this role requires greater attention through the provision of more specialized and reliable media content in the field of cybersecurity. The study recommends intensifying digital awareness campaigns, strengthening cooperation between media institutions and specialized cybersecurity authorities, and organizing training programs aimed at enhancing girls’ level of digital literacy.