Towards usable cybercrime reporting systems through the usability principles : a study in the context of Bangladesh

Abstract

Reporting is crucial in preventing cybercrimes, but most crimes perpetrated online go unreported to the authorities. As a result, various types of cyber crimes, like identity theft, hacking, bullying, cyber threats, and so on, are not investigated, and the attackers remain unpunished in Bangladesh. However, some online portals are available for raising awareness about and reporting cybercrimes in Bangladesh. Some of the websites include the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), Digital Security Agency (DSA), and others. Bangladesh also has an Android mobile app called ‘Online GD’, which covers every police station in the nation. The websites are challenging to navigate, have an unresponsive design, and have inadequate security measures, which is the main reason behind the lack of acceptance of online reporting in Bangladesh. To support this assertion, a structural heuristic study was conducted on these systems, and we found that many features, including authenticated registration and login, an easy-to-find complaint form, and user-friendly UX, are not present in these portals. The websites and the app are not very user-friendly, and they are not handled adequately by Bangladesh’s law enforcement. To gain more insight, a moderated usability evaluation (40 participants) was conducted. From this study, it was found that major usability factors like easy navigation, findability, and complaint forms were missing. Users were not very comfortable trusting and using these systems. Furthermore, to gain knowledge about how the law enforcement of Bangladesh actually handles these systems, a semi-structured interview study (5 administrative personnel) was also administered on these systems. By analyzing these data through thematic analysis, it was established that although a lot of users do prefer online reporting systems over physical reporting, due to the scarcity of better usability in online reporting systems, they refrained from using them due to a lack of trust and usability. A well-versed, user-friendly UX prototype website was proposed and tested using Simplified Usability Questionnaire (SUS) and Affective Technology Interaction (ATI) evaluation, to ensure better usability and increase use of online reporting in Bangladesh. This study aimed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of online cybercrime reporting in Bangladesh by improving its usability and accessibility.