Johannesburg, 31 Mar 2009
Following a robbery on its premises, Axiz has started an initiative on Facebook to fight IT crimes.
“IT companies have become a soft target for criminals,” says chief operating officer, Anthony Fitzhenry. He says the lack of big industry initiatives around IT crimes has prioritised the need to organise and co-ordinate the sector.
The Facebook group, called ICT Crime Watch, urges IT companies and individuals to report crime they have experienced. The group is looking for information on crime, from hijackings to warehouse, office or personal theft.
The information would be used to co-ordinate action and lobby law and order officials to help track and recover stolen items. A forensic team, which will work closely with police, has been established, says Fitzhenry.
In your face
According to Fitzhenry, the best way to organise the industry against crime is through Facebook. “It is the most effective technology for people. As the most efficient communication media, it's much easier than other methods of obtaining information, such as phoning.”
He adds that Facebook will allow the initiative a “co-ordinated, appropriate and speedy” response to crime. The interoperability of Facebook with other sites, such as Twitter, will also contribute to the success of the initiative, he notes. The group encourages people to use Twitter to send information to the Facebook page.
Facebook is considered the largest online networking site, with over 170 million users globally. In July 2008, Facebook reported over 680 000 users were registered on its South African network grouping.
Given the site's popularity among online users, Fitzhenry says it's only fitting that he uses the site to reach his target market.
Soft targets
Fitzhenry says that since the disbanding of the ICT workgroup of the Business Against Crime initiative 12 years ago, crime levels in the industry have worsened.
He states that, so far, the Facebook group has revealed that information from vendors, resellers and distributors shows there is a growing number of crimes being committed against IT companies. Fitzhenry says he has observed the majority of crime is moving away from banking and cash-in-transits to ICT warehouses and offices.
His assertion is that although this is linked to general trends of high crime levels in the country, the ICT area is particularly vulnerable. Crime has decreased in areas such as the financial sector, because the industry organised itself to fight crime. As it became an increasingly difficult target for criminals, crime in the IT sector increased. “Only a co-ordinated effort will prove effective,” he says.
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