Humans in the Cyber Loop: Perspectives on Social Cybersecurity addresses the evolving role of humans in cyberspace through an analysis of how digital interactions and advancements both shape and are shaped by societal, economic, and political factors. The book systematically explores social cybersecurity, the impact of disinformation on democratic processes, the influence of social media on public opinion, and the implications of algorithmic decision-making to demonstrate the importance of building societal resilience to cyber attacks and to better understand specific needs and challenges in this domain. Excerpt from a review by Prof. Danuta Kazmierczak, University of the National Education Commission, Kraków: “The authors treat (...) cyberspace as an ecosystem composed of networks of organizations, individuals and technologies, whose dynamics are defined by the multidimensional relationships of these components (...) The book contains analyses and examples that allow a greater understanding of the processes, phenomena and mechanisms occurring in societies, created at the intersection of the real and virtual worlds.”

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction 1 Social Cybersecurity: from Technology to a Human-Centered Approach 1 Redefining the Human Role and Security in the Evolving Cyberspace 2 Social Cybersecurity 3 Cybersecurity as a New Frontier in Security Studies 4 The Evolution of Cyber Threats 2 Cybersecurity: from Crime to Warfare in the Digital Age 1 Cyber Terrorism 2 Cybercrime 3 Social Engineering 4 Cyber War 5 Hybrid Warfare 3 Information Warfare and Disinformation: a Modern Challenge 1 A Human-Centered Approach to Information Warfare 2 Disinformation 3 The Viral Spread of Disinformation in Democratic Societies 4 The Human Factor in Disinformation 5 State-Sponsored Propaganda and Disinformation Based on the Example of Russia 4 The Power of Algorithms: Understanding Their Impact in Social Cybersecurity 1 Algorithms 2 Algorithmic Shaping of User Experience 3 Censorship and Bias in Algorithmic Decisions 4 Commercial Bias in Algorithmic Content Curation 5 Political Microtargeting 6 Applying Algorithms and AI for the Public Good Based on the Example of Estonia 5 Social Cybersecurity in the Context of Societal and Economic Change 1 Reshaping Society and the Economy 2 The Attention Economy and Redefining Value 3 Social Media Marketing and Redefining Business Strategies 4 Influencer Marketing 5 Redefining Power and Privacy under Surveillance Capitalism 6 Surveillance Technology in Societal Governance 6 Digital Persuasion: the Power of Social Media Influencers 1 Key Stakeholders and Power Dynamics in Cyberspace 2 The Persuasive Power of Social Media Influencers 3 The Diversity of Social Media Influencers 4 Ethical Aspects of Social Media Influencing 5 Kidfluencers: Risks Connected to Child Labor 6 The Accountability of Social Media Influencers 7 The Social Impact of Social Media Influencers 7 From Overload to Overreach: the Impact of Digital Content on Society 1 Information Overload 2 Infotainment 3 Engagement, Emotions and User Behavior 4 Digital Narcissism 5 Hate Speech 6 Cyber Aggression and Cyber Bullying 7 The Roots of Cyber Aggression 8 Multidisciplinary Approaches to Combating Hate Speech 8 Digital Dependency: Exploring Problematic Internet Use 1 Problematic Internet Use 2 Problematic Smartphone Use 3 Behavioral Mechanisms and Brain Impacts 4 Underlying Causes of Problematic Internet Use 5 The Addictive Design of Technology 9 Conclusion: the Digital Ecosystem from the Perspective of Social Cybersecurity References Index