Slow moving on from idea of education

The solution on education has been a long term point of debate and discussion. From the unmoderated caucus to the General Speakers List, this debate of education has been going on since the first council session. The debate is moving on but is as slow as a snail. In hopes of moving on, the delegates of Australia and China attempted to save the debate by discussing a database.

AFP sees the need in educating people, but bringing it up time and time again is stalling solutions in the debate. Though it was unpopular when the delegate of Singapore first put it forth, the topic of education is still being discussed after immense support from other countries. Again. Delegates questioned the feasibility of education in third world countries. On top of that piled the problem of non-native speakers. How would educators communicate with these people? How would the elderly understand? Is there enough manpower in the first place? These were the questions that were constantly asked about and debated over the council sessions. Some attempts were made to steer the council away from the topic on education, yet they did not work. Wild points were also proposed by delegates, such as the idea of placing survey and education centres to educate in populated areas like shopping malls and whatnot. As much as this idea makes sense, it is bold to assume that citizens would themselves come up to get educated; citizens would not think it is necessary. Hence, there is a need for better solutions.

On the topic of education, there are some fairly valid points brought up. It is reassuring to know that the solution on the database and education complement each other. Citizens can be educated on why they can trust it and why it is more secure to keep their information in the database. The means of education were also discussed. For example, via television and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Education, as a solution, did pinpoint some loopholes in existing solutions, for instance corruption. From there, it was to be decided that these loopholes could be solved through education, for example the education of government officials about the database. However, it has to be noted that simply educating does not ensure that these governments will not go back to their corrupt ways. After all, money is what everyone is after.

A solution that we were looking forward to hearing about is the usage of websites and apps that instantly block suspicious sites. An example of such a website is McAfee, an antivirus software that can be downloaded to one’s devices. Unfortunately, it comes at a price, limiting protection to those who can afford it. However, there are other websites that allow users to download antivirus softwares for free, maximising coverage and ensuring the safety of more citizens. What these softwares do is block suspicious sites and calls that could threaten or even compromise the security of one’s personal information. This makes one less prone to being a victim of identity-related crimes, such as identity theft. Other existing incentives have been made by banks. When one receives an SMS to send money concerning loans, it can be done via online banking platforms such as “PayLah!”, a service used in Singapore. These banks can detect the receiver of the SMS and gauge whether it is likely a scam or not. If deemed suspicious, the user will receive a warning regarding transferring funds to the person, reducing the efficacy of impersonation for personal gain, as well as limiting funding to criminal organisations. Therefore, it makes online banking safer for all by preventing bankers from falling victim to identity-related crimes.

In the end, though education may be an effective long-term solution, AFP wishes to see the promotion of more short-term methods to tackle identity-related crimes. Disseminating antivirus software to citizens and conducting identity checks with online business transactions are possible proposals to mitigate such crimes, which can further complement the educational programmes discussed by UNODC. AFP believes that short-term and long-term solutions should work hand in hand to develop a more holistic approach against the issue. After all, in the fight against identity-related crimes, more victims are made the longer we wait. What we need now is action.