The New Digital Pandemic: How Uncertainty Drives the Rise of Sextortion

The global wave of pandemic-induced uncertainty sparked a rise in online criminal activities, with sextortion emerging as a leading form of exploitation. It involved perpetrators coercing victims into providing sexual images or favors under the threat of exposing compromising material. As daily routines were disrupted and digital reliance increased, cybercriminals seized new opportunities to target vulnerable individuals, thereby amplifying sextortion risks worldwide. This research explored the asymmetric association between pandemic uncertainty and sextortion across 10 key nations (Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, and the USA). An innovative pandemic uncertainty index was employed, integrating data from multiple outbreaks, namely COVID-19, MERS, SARS, and Ebola. Prior studies had relied on panel data methods and often disregarded the diverse economic structures across countries. However, by utilizing the Quantile-on-Quantile tool, this study revealed nuanced relationships between the variables, capturing global trends while uncovering the distinctive dynamics of each country. The findings indicated that pandemic-induced uncertainty was associated with increased sextortion rates across different quantiles in the selected economies, highlighting varied patterns across nations. The findings underlined the urgency for policymakers to craft tailored, context-specific strategies to combat sextortion, especially as the digital landscape had become increasingly shaped by pandemic-related fears. To protect vulnerable populations, targeted interventions are needed to address the unique challenges and nuanced trends observed across countries.