Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TUECS (The Uberization of Europol's Cybercrime Strategy: An Innovative Governance Model on Public-Private Partnership)
Reporting period: 2020-06-01 to 2022-05-31
Since the rapid transformation in information technologies, people increasingly depend on digital technologies for socialisation and exchanging goods and services. While facilitating connectivity, the technological advantages in cyberspace also brought new problems, such as cybercrime. The easy accessibility and anonymity offered by the internet not only encourage offenders but also create a big challenge for law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Most LEAs lack the human, technical and fiscal resources to tackle cybercrime. Therefore, there is a strong demand among the LEAs to use private sector resources to cope with cyber threats.
In this context, since 2016, Europol executives have begun promoting a new public-private partnership (P3) model called 'Sharing Economy, also known as 'Uberization', to tackle cybercrime. In this model, members of an online community share their idle capacity resources with others for money or altruistic motivations. Sharing economy as a new governance model has considerable advantages. It provides low barrier accessibility to platform members and removes geographical barriers. Anyone with an internet connection can easily access these platforms. The technological infrastructure and matchmaking mechanisms belonging to online platforms reduce searching, contacting and contracting costs. Trust-building mechanisms developed by online platforms also foster confidence between users. Even though sharing economy is a trendy concept in business, finance, marketing, and law, we know very little about whether sharing economy can be a sustainable P3 model to tackle cybercrime. In this respect, an in-depth analysis of Europol's online P3 platforms is vital to see whether sharing economy can be a new P3 model in public administration. Based on the knowledge gap in the literature, the main objective of TUECS (The Uberization of Europol's Cybercrime Strategy) is to investigate the effectiveness of Europol's online platforms, whereby public and private actor resources are shared to tackle cybercrime. The project aims to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of Europol’s platforms through sharing economy principles. It seeks the answer to how this platform-based P3 model can be developed further for optimum level resource sharing. The project also intends to show how Europol's Uber-like online platforms can inspire existing and future online platforms governed by public administrations. The contribution of this research to both academia and practice is twofold. First, the research will systematically analyse Europol-associated online platforms through sharing economy concept. This research will inspire other researchers to use the same analytical framework for other P3 initiatives concerned with public administration. Second, research findings can help Europol and other public administrations develop their current P3 initiatives according to sharing economy principles.
In this context, since 2016, Europol executives have begun promoting a new public-private partnership (P3) model called 'Sharing Economy, also known as 'Uberization', to tackle cybercrime. In this model, members of an online community share their idle capacity resources with others for money or altruistic motivations. Sharing economy as a new governance model has considerable advantages. It provides low barrier accessibility to platform members and removes geographical barriers. Anyone with an internet connection can easily access these platforms. The technological infrastructure and matchmaking mechanisms belonging to online platforms reduce searching, contacting and contracting costs. Trust-building mechanisms developed by online platforms also foster confidence between users. Even though sharing economy is a trendy concept in business, finance, marketing, and law, we know very little about whether sharing economy can be a sustainable P3 model to tackle cybercrime. In this respect, an in-depth analysis of Europol's online P3 platforms is vital to see whether sharing economy can be a new P3 model in public administration. Based on the knowledge gap in the literature, the main objective of TUECS (The Uberization of Europol's Cybercrime Strategy) is to investigate the effectiveness of Europol's online platforms, whereby public and private actor resources are shared to tackle cybercrime. The project aims to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of Europol’s platforms through sharing economy principles. It seeks the answer to how this platform-based P3 model can be developed further for optimum level resource sharing. The project also intends to show how Europol's Uber-like online platforms can inspire existing and future online platforms governed by public administrations. The contribution of this research to both academia and practice is twofold. First, the research will systematically analyse Europol-associated online platforms through sharing economy concept. This research will inspire other researchers to use the same analytical framework for other P3 initiatives concerned with public administration. Second, research findings can help Europol and other public administrations develop their current P3 initiatives according to sharing economy principles.
The following summarizes the work done to meet the TUECS project's objectives.
The ethical review process was successfully completed.
Despite the pandemic conditions and many associated challenges, the planned semi-structured elite interviews were successfully completed.
During the project period, a research monograph was published, and a monograph manuscript was submitted to an internationally recognized publisher. A new research monograph will be on shelves at the beginning of 2023.
Three peer-reviewed research articles were published either with gold or green publication options.
Two research outputs of TUECS projects were presented at BISA and UACES conferences.
Dr Ilbiz presented his research output in different EUCTER webinars and roundtable discussions where he is associated as a member of the network.
As part of engaging with the public, Dr Ilbiz wrote a blog article for the ‘Conversation’ and recorded an online video shared on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. The TUECS project website and social media accounts also went live from the project's early stages. The researcher also met with pupils from South-West England and shared his research output to inspiring them.
Regarding the two-way transfer of knowledge, Dr Ilbiz began to teach two postgraduate modules in the host institution, namely 'Governing and Securing Cyberspace' and 'Hybrid Warfare. He also gave a lecture in EUCTER summer school about encryption and challenges in the context of counter-terrorism surveillance.
Dr Ilbiz is also supervising several PhD and master's students since his fellowship.
For his career development, Dr Ilbiz took several pieces of training provided by the USW. He became a UK Higher Education Academy Fellow, an essential training required by most UK universities. He also started to learn Welsh for better integration with the host institution.
The ethical review process was successfully completed.
Despite the pandemic conditions and many associated challenges, the planned semi-structured elite interviews were successfully completed.
During the project period, a research monograph was published, and a monograph manuscript was submitted to an internationally recognized publisher. A new research monograph will be on shelves at the beginning of 2023.
Three peer-reviewed research articles were published either with gold or green publication options.
Two research outputs of TUECS projects were presented at BISA and UACES conferences.
Dr Ilbiz presented his research output in different EUCTER webinars and roundtable discussions where he is associated as a member of the network.
As part of engaging with the public, Dr Ilbiz wrote a blog article for the ‘Conversation’ and recorded an online video shared on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. The TUECS project website and social media accounts also went live from the project's early stages. The researcher also met with pupils from South-West England and shared his research output to inspiring them.
Regarding the two-way transfer of knowledge, Dr Ilbiz began to teach two postgraduate modules in the host institution, namely 'Governing and Securing Cyberspace' and 'Hybrid Warfare. He also gave a lecture in EUCTER summer school about encryption and challenges in the context of counter-terrorism surveillance.
Dr Ilbiz is also supervising several PhD and master's students since his fellowship.
For his career development, Dr Ilbiz took several pieces of training provided by the USW. He became a UK Higher Education Academy Fellow, an essential training required by most UK universities. He also started to learn Welsh for better integration with the host institution.
Based on the evidence collected during the TUECS project, these findings can assist in enhancing existing P3 platforms and drawing lessons for the future.
•As seen in each Europol's platform, there is no one-size-fits-all model where LEAs, the private sector and the public engage. Online platforms provide flexibility for collaboration, and they are prominent examples of an agile P3 model. LEAs can quickly build multi-sided online platforms for efficient resource sharing if needed.
•The governing bodies should follow a holistic approach while building online platforms. The concepts providing agility to online platforms, such as low barrier entry, transaction cost and trust-building, must adopt coherently by the policy actors. Otherwise, any inefficiency related to trust or accessibility has a consequence on transaction costs. Therefore, LEAs are recommended not to initiate a P3 platform until they are entirely certain about all interaction dynamics of a multi-sided platform.
•According to research findings, the Europol-associated online platforms for P3 lack algorithmic matchmaking mechanisms and real-time data tools. Without all, resource sharing between public and private actors often remains below the optimum level, and most idle capacity resources are still underused. Therefore, Europol-associated platforms might need algorithmic matchmaking and real-time data tools for efficient resource sharing.
•The success of sharing economy also depends on the existence of a community concerned with sustainability and the use of resources in a mutual and altruistic way. According to the research findings, strong community support is visible in Europol's platforms as far as appropriate conditions are provided to public and private actors. The private sector volunteers for contribution if they see their effort is adding value to public safety.
•In classical P3 models, tracking idle capacity resources is not easy because there is no marketplace where these resources are apparent. In the absence of such vital information, searching, contacting, and contracting with the right partner is difficult. Therefore, Europol-inspired online platforms have the potential to track the underused assets of public and private actors and facilitate resource sharing.
•With its strengths and weaknesses, Europol's online platforms are great examples of how policing agencies can build online platforms and facilitate resource sharing between the public and private sectors. These platforms are inspirational examples that similar ones can be created in other public administration areas where public and private sector resource sharing is essential.
•As seen in each Europol's platform, there is no one-size-fits-all model where LEAs, the private sector and the public engage. Online platforms provide flexibility for collaboration, and they are prominent examples of an agile P3 model. LEAs can quickly build multi-sided online platforms for efficient resource sharing if needed.
•The governing bodies should follow a holistic approach while building online platforms. The concepts providing agility to online platforms, such as low barrier entry, transaction cost and trust-building, must adopt coherently by the policy actors. Otherwise, any inefficiency related to trust or accessibility has a consequence on transaction costs. Therefore, LEAs are recommended not to initiate a P3 platform until they are entirely certain about all interaction dynamics of a multi-sided platform.
•According to research findings, the Europol-associated online platforms for P3 lack algorithmic matchmaking mechanisms and real-time data tools. Without all, resource sharing between public and private actors often remains below the optimum level, and most idle capacity resources are still underused. Therefore, Europol-associated platforms might need algorithmic matchmaking and real-time data tools for efficient resource sharing.
•The success of sharing economy also depends on the existence of a community concerned with sustainability and the use of resources in a mutual and altruistic way. According to the research findings, strong community support is visible in Europol's platforms as far as appropriate conditions are provided to public and private actors. The private sector volunteers for contribution if they see their effort is adding value to public safety.
•In classical P3 models, tracking idle capacity resources is not easy because there is no marketplace where these resources are apparent. In the absence of such vital information, searching, contacting, and contracting with the right partner is difficult. Therefore, Europol-inspired online platforms have the potential to track the underused assets of public and private actors and facilitate resource sharing.
•With its strengths and weaknesses, Europol's online platforms are great examples of how policing agencies can build online platforms and facilitate resource sharing between the public and private sectors. These platforms are inspirational examples that similar ones can be created in other public administration areas where public and private sector resource sharing is essential.