Cyber Security Responsibilization: An Evaluation of the Intervention Approaches Adopted by the Five Eyes Countries and China

Abstract

Governments can intervene to a greater or lesser extent in managing the risks that citizens face. They can adopt a maximal intervention approach (e.g., COVID‐19) or a hands‐off approach (e.g., unemployment), effectively “responsibilizing” their citizens. To manage the cyber risk, governments publish cyber‐related policies. This article examines the intervention stances the governments adopt in supporting individual citizens managing their personal cyber risk. The authors pinpoint the cyber‐related responsibilities that several governments espouse, applying a “responsibilization” analysis. Those applying to citizens are identified, thereby revealing the governments' cyber‐related intervention stances. The analysis reveals that most governments adopt a minimal cyber‐related intervention stance in supporting their citizens. Given the increasing number of successful cyber attacks on individuals, it seems time for the consequences of this stance to be acknowledged and reconsidered. The authors argue that governments should support individual citizens more effectively in dealing with cyber threats.

Proceedings of the 17th International Research Symposium on Service Excellence in Management - QUIS17

“…Consumer responsibilization comes with consequences that can be both beneficial and unfavorable for the consumer. This has for instance been the conclusion in research concerning consumer responsibilization and cyber security where it has been noted that consumer responsibilization can be unfavorable for the consumer with the implication that governments should consider de-responsibilize the consumer (Renaud et al, 2018, Renaud et al, 2020. This research points toward the circumstance that cyber-security is too complicated for the consumer, and that they do not possess the capabilities to be able to take on the increased responsibility.…”

“…The capabilities of a green consumer must entail knowledge about what makes a service or product sustainable and have enough skills to make the "right" choice both morally and rationally . Thinking of banking or internet services, the consumer needs to have the ability or competence to know how to use the technology that the services demand while also being educated to make decisions that previously often was made by the provider of the service (Williams, 2007, Renaud et al, 2018, Renaud et al, 2020, Bay, 2011 which can be difficult as these services often has been viewed as expert services that require a lot of knowledge and skills.…”

“…Just as Giesler and Veresiu (2014) highlight that the market structure is an important and necessary aspect to responsibilize the consumer we also need to acknowledge that a proper market structure is of little worth if the consumer lack capabilities to fulfill the responsibilization (Renaud et al, 2018, Renaud et al, 2020. Wilson (2019) highlights that a consumer who is not use to taking responsibility needs to gradually be taught how to do so to make it a normal part of the consumer's life.…”

Positioning Diplomacy Within a Strategic Response to the Cyber Conflict Threat

“…Renaud et al [55] analysed the cyber security strategy policies of the Five Eyes countries and China. Their analysis produced a list of government responsibilities mentioned by these countries' cyber strategy policies.…”

Crisis of the Union: Public Management and Leadership in an Era of Discontent

“…Rounding out our research articles in this issue, Renaud et al (2020) ask what intervention stances governments adopt in supporting individual citizens managing their personal cyber risk. Applying a “responsibilization” analysis, they identified policies that applied to citizens and thereby revealed their cyber‐related intervention stances.…”