Description
The virtual nature of cyberspace makes it particularly challenging to reach a common definition and conceptualisation of what it is . In effect, even the different threat representations associated to cybersecurity build on different conceptualisations of what cyberspace is and, perhaps more importantly, come with different social and political effects. For the purpose of this paper, I will take into account the definition given by the Oxford dictionary describing cybersecurity as “[t]he state of being protected against the criminal or unauthorized use of electronic data, or the measures taken to achieve this” . In this definition, systems and humans are both subjects of cybersecurity and, thus, in the state of protection, go against one of the main questions associated to cyber-security, namely the “non-human referent object problematisation”. The field of cybersecurity is particularly interesting from a feminist perspective due to the highly gendered issues which could fall into this category, such as cyber stalking, electronically enabled trafficking, revenge-porn and hate speech against women . Contrary to the dominant visions that consider cyber-space and cyber-crimes as gender-blind or gender-neutral, I will argue how and why gender matters in international cyber security. Gender is, indeed, a factor of vulnerability, whether real or perceived, that shapes and influences online behaviours, determines access to the Web and defines power.
After having analysed the relation between gender and cybersecurity and explained why gender matters in cybersecurity, my paper will focus on the different impacts that cyber-crimes and cyber-threats have on women. For this purpose, I will rely on two case studies: the impacts of Internet shutdowns on women and the use of the Internet of Things’ (IoT) devices. Then, taking into account the Feminist Istitutionalism approach as theoretical basis, I will try to explain why international cyber-security is still gender-blind. I will call for the redefinition of the traditional security term promoted by Realists in order to make visible the security threats to which women are exposed every single day. I will, finally, offer some suggestions on how a gender-sensitive conceptualisation of cybersecurity and cyber-crimes could be conceived.
