The Driving Forces for the Involvement of Higher Learning Institution’s Students in Cybercrime Acts. A Case of Selected Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

: This study investigates the extent and driving forces of cybercrime acts among students in higher learning institutions. The research digs into common cybercrime involvement and explores potential motives driving students' engagement in such illicit activities. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, involving online surveys and interviews with 308 samples size from a population of 1500 participants from selected higher learning institutions in Tanzania. Institutions involved in this study included Collage of Business Education (CBE), Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), Institute of Finance Management (IFM) and Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA). The findings revealed that digital piracy, hacking, computer viruses, spam mailing, computer-related forgery, and cyberbullying were prevalent forms of cybercrime among the participants. Significant associations were identified between cybercrime involvement and factors such as social-economic status, technological changes, peer influence, lack of awareness of cybercrime, individual traits, and internet usage contributing to students' involvement in cybercrime. In light of these findings, the study recommends implementing comprehensive educational programs, strengthening institutional cybersecurity, promoting positive peer influence, enhancing collaboration with law enforcement, and integrating ethical training into the curriculum. These efforts will foster a safe and responsible digital environment within higher learning institutions, protecting students from cybercrime risks and promoting ethical digital citizenship.


Introduction
In this digital age, rapid technological advancements have brought numerous benefits to individuals, organisations, and societies. However, alongside the advantages come new and evolving challenges, including the rise of cybercrime (Mwiraria et al., 2022). Cybercrime refers to malicious activities conducted through digital networks, targeting individuals or institutions for financial gain, information theft, or disruption of services. Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in technology, manipulate unsuspecting individuals, and utilise sophisticated techniques to carry out their illegal operations.
The rise of cybercrime has become a pressing issue globally, with significant financial losses and security breaches affecting individuals, organisations, and countries. In 2018 alone, cybercrimes resulted in a staggering $2.7 billion loss, and universities worldwide experienced 300 attacks (Lynn, 2018;Lubua & Pretorius, 2019). In Tanzania, internet users have steadily increased, with a growth rate of 4.9% annually, as reported by the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (2022). Furthermore, it is estimated that 50% of Tanzanians currently use the Internet, highlighting the need for online safety measures (International Telecommunication Union, 2021). Unfortunately, many of these internet users are students from higher learning institutions. The impact of a data breach can be enormous, with an average cost of $3.92 million and around 25,575 records compromised per year (IBM, 2020;Global Cybersecurity Index, 2017). This context emphasises the urgency of exploring the security challenges faced by internet users, particularly students and understanding the factors that contribute to their involvement in cybercrime acts.
While cybercrime affects users worldwide, the involvement of students in higher learning institutions is a growing concern(Mwiraria et al., 2022). The adoption of online platforms by higher learning institutions has increased online activities by students and hence the vulnerabilities to personal and institutional crucial information (Semlambo, Stanslaus, & Munguyatosha, 2022;Lubua, Semlambo, & Mkude, 2022). Often seen as pillars of knowledge and ethical behaviour, these institutionsprepare the future generation for success in a technologically advanced world (Semlambo, Almasi, & Liechuka, 2022). However, an alarming trend has emerged, with reports suggesting that students increasingly engage in cybercrime. Such activities tarnish these institutions' reputations and pose significant threats to society's individual and collective security (Khalid, 2018).
Higher learning institutions students increasingly use the internet, making it crucial to protect their integrity, confidentiality, availability, and access control on social network platforms. Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities and weaknesses from anywhere, using computer access linked to the network. Intruders demand no entry visa to commit crimes (Semlambo, Mfoi, & Sangula, 2022). Understanding the driving forces that lead students in higher learning institutions to participate in cybercrime is crucial for developing effective preventive measures and interventions. By gaining insights into the underlying motivations and factors contributing to this behaviour, policymakers, educators, and law enforcement authorities in Tanzania can devise strategies to address the root causes and minimise instances of cybercrime among students.
In light of the abovementioned concerns, this study aims to investigate the driving forces for the involvement of students from selected higher learning institutions in Tanzania in cybercrime acts. This research seeks to contribute to the existing knowledge on cybercrime prevention in educational settings by exploring and analysing the motivations and factors influencing their engagement in cybercriminal behaviour.The outcomes of this study are expected to inform the development of targeted interventions, educational programs, and awareness campaigns that address the identified driving forces behind cybercrime involvement. By effectively addressing these factors, the study aims to foster a safer digital environment within higher learning institutions in Tanzania while equipping students with the necessary knowledge and values to uphold ethical behaviour in the digital sphere.
By understanding the unique context of Tanzania, this study aims to provide relevant insights specific to higher learning institutions in the country. The findings will benefit the academic community and serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, educators, and law enforcement agencies, enabling them to devise evidence-based strategies to prevent and combat cybercrime. Ultimately, the goal is to promote a culture of responsible digital citizenship, safeguarding the integrity of higher learning institutions and ensuring a secure technological future for Tanzanian society.

Literature Review
The prevalence of cybercrime and its detrimental effects on individuals, organisations, and societies has been extensively studied in various contexts. In this section, we review the existing literature on cybercrime, specifically focusing on the factors that drive the involvement of students from higher learning institutions in such illicit activities.
A study by Lynn (2018) emphasises the significant financial losses caused by cybercrimes, with global estimates reaching $2.7 billion in 2018. Universities, in particular, have become prime targets, with Lubua and Pretorius (2019) reporting that 300 higher learning institutions worldwide experienced cyber attacks that same year. These findings highlight the urgent need for research to understand the motivations and factors contributing to students' engagement in cybercrime.
In Tanzania, the increase of internet users, as reported by the Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (2022), raises concerns about online safety and the potential for cybercriminal activities. The International Telecommunication Union (2021) reveals that approximately 50% of Tanzanians are internet users. This context indicates a pressing need to explore the specific challenges faced by students from higher learning institutions in Tanzania and understand the driving forces behind their involvement in cybercrime.
Financial motivations have been identified as one of the primary driving forces for individuals engaging in cybercrime. According to a study by IBM (2020), the cost of a data breach to an organisation is estimated at $3.92 million, demonstrating the potential financial gains for cybercriminals. The Global Cybersecurity Index (2017) also highlights that many records are compromised yearly, making cybercrime a lucrative business for those involved.
However, financial incentives alone do not explain the full picture. Psychological factors play a crucial role in understanding student involvement in cybercrime. Research has shown that factors such as lack of awareness about the consequences (Livingstone, 2014), curiosity (Bossler, Holt, & Seigfried-Spellar, 2015), and peer influence (Holt & Bossler, 2012) can significantly contribute to engaging in cybercriminal activities.
Furthermore, the role of ethical awareness must be considered. A study by Williams, Martinez-Moyano, and McKelvey (2015) suggests that insufficient ethical education may lead to a lack of moral reasoning and decision-making skills, making students more susceptible to engaging in cybercrime acts.
To date, limited research has focused on the driving forces behind students involvement in cybercrime in the Tanzanian context. Therefore, the present study aims to fill this gap by exploring the factors influencing students from selected higher learning institutions in Tanzania to participate in cybercriminal acts.

By
identifying these driving forces, policymakers, educators, and law enforcement agencies can develop targeted interventions, educational programs, and awareness campaigns to prevent and mitigate student cybercrime. These efforts will create a safer digital environment within higher learning institutions and promote responsible digital citizenship among Tanzanian students.
In summary, existing literature highlights the substantial financial losses caused by cybercrime globally, with universities being high-profile targets. The increase in internet users in Tanzania further underscores the need to understand the motivations and factors that drive student involvement in cybercrime. Financial incentives, psychological influences, and ethical awareness emerge as key determinants. This literature review provides the foundation for the current study's exploration of driving forces for student involvement in cybercrime within selected higher learning institutions in Tanzania.

Methodology
This study adopted a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative www.ejtas.com EJTAS 2023 | Volume 1 | Number 4 914 approaches. The mixed-methods design provides a comprehensive understanding of the driving forces for the involvement of higher learning institution students in cybercrime acts in Tanzania. The quantitative phase allowed the identification of patterns and trends, while the qualitative phase explored the underlying motivations and perceptions of the participant.

Population and Sampling
The study was conducted at the selected higher learning Institution in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The selected higher learning Institution was the College of Business Education (CBE) Dar es campus, Institute of Finance Management (IFM), Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT) Dar es Salaam campus, and Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) Dar es salaam campus. Dar es Salaam region has been chosen as it is one of the regions with the highest population in Tanzania, which is subjective to the presence of relatively high social-economic development compared to other regions in the country, accompanied by a big proportion of higher learning institutions. The statistics provided by Universities Statistics 2020 illustrate that Dar es Salaam is leading in many higher learning institutions, which provided a researcher with a convenient area to select students to be included in this study.
The sample size of 308, which includes students and 8 staff, was drawn from a targeted population of 1500 from the higher learning institutions. The 8 staff members were involved in interviews while questionnaires were used to collect data from 300 students.

Data Collection and Analysis
The questionnaires were coded and entered in ms excel,where data was cleaned. Then data was entered in the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 26, which was used for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise demographic characteristics and forms of cybercrime. The chi-square test was used to determine the association between the potential motives that drive cybercrime involvement among students with a p-value less than 0.05; data was presented in table's charts and graphs. Content-based analysis was used for qualitative data obtained from the in-depth interview. In the case of qualitative, In-depth interviews wereconducted with a subset of participants to gain deeper insights into the driving forces behind their engagement in cybercrime. The semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis.

Quality Issues
According to Chowdhury (2015), no single method can consistently address the quality challenges in qualitative research. Instead, various perspectives, including credibility, dependability, confirmability, and ethics, can be employed to assess the research's quality. In this study, measures were taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. Before conducting interviews and questionnaires, participants provided their informed consent. Data triangulation and crystallisation methods were employed to further enhance validity and reliability. These strategies collectively contributed to maintaining the integrity of the research findings.

Results and Discussion
This section aims at presenting the analysis and results of the study. The analysis is based on the data collected by the use of questionnaires for quantitative data and in-depth interviews for qualitative data to investigate the driving forces for the involvement of higher learning institution students in cybercrime acts in Dar es Salaam.

Demographic Information
Incorporating demographic factors in this study is crucial as they allow for a comprehensive understanding of the respondents' characteristics, providing valuable insights into their perspectives and experiences related to the research problems. The age, gender, educational background, and institutional affiliations of the respondents help in segmenting and analysing the data, enabling the researcher to identify potential variations and trends among different groups. This approach enhances the study's validity and ensures that findings are contextually relevant and applicable to specific demographic subgroups (Wyse, 2012). Source: Researchers (2023) The study's demographic considerations were essential in understanding the respondents' views on the research problems. Among the 316 enrolled respondents, the majority fell within the 18-25 age group (49.7%), while the 26-35 age group constituted 36% of the participants. Additionally, the researcher demonstrated gender sensitivity, gathering information from males (60.3%) and females (39.7%). In terms of institutions, the respondents were primarily from TIA (31%) and CBE (29.7%), with the majority pursuing bachelor-level studies (54.7%) and a significant representation of second-year students (38%). These demographic attributes provided valuable insights and helped segment the survey data into meaningful groups of respondents for the study.

Extent of Cybercrime Acts
The extent of involvement in cybercrime acts among students in higher learning institutions is a critical area of concern, given the increasing reliance on digital technologies in academic and personal spheres. Understanding the prevalence of cybercrime involvement is essential for devising effective strategies to address this issue. sheds light on the varying degrees of cybercrime engagement, highlighting the need for further analysis to identify potential risk factors and develop targeted interventions.

Figure 1. Extent of Students Involvement in Cybercrime Acts
The analysis of students' involvement in cybercrime acts within higher learning institutions reveals four distinct groups: lowest (13.3%), moderate (36.3%), high (35.7%), and neutral (4.7%). The lowest involvement group suggests that a minority of students exhibit ethical behaviour and minimal association with cybercrime. In contrast, the moderate involvement group indicates a considerable portion of students who engage in cybercrime occasionally. Among other researchers, Semlambo, Stanslaus and Munguyatosha (2022) concur with the findings. However, the high involvement rate raises concerns, highlighting the need for urgent attention and intervention to address the motivations behind such active participation. The presence of a neutral group necessitates exploration to understand potential unintentional engagement. Overall, this analysis underscores the significance of tailored strategies and awareness programs to prevent and mitigate cybercrime involvement among students, promoting a safer digital environment in higher learning institutions.
Moreover, the study revealed that the extent of involvement in cybercrime acts among higher learning students was moderate at 46.3%, followed by a high extent of involvement at 35.7% in cybercrime acts and among the respondents, 64% have been involved in cybercrime acts. These results were consistent with several other studies that demonstrated the overwhelming prevalence of cybercrime among students (Ogbonnaya k, 2022;Oluwasanmi, 2018). These studies noted an increase in the prevalence of cybercrime rates over time, while (Mshana, 2015) noted a steady increase in cybercrime activity. A different study (Udelue M, 2022)revealed that youth in Nigeria was quite likely (94.7%) to engage in cybercrime acts.The high extent of involvement in cybercrime acts is possibly due to the advancement of science and technology that has simplified cybercrime acts among these students.

Common Forms of Cybercrime Acts Involve Students from Higher Learning Institutions
The prevalence of cybercrime acts among students in higher learning institutions has raised serious concerns about the potential impact on academic integrity and digital security. To gain insight into the common forms of cybercrime in this context, a recent study surveyed respondents to identify the specific activities students are involved in. The study focused on a range of cybercrime acts, including digital piracy, hacking, computer viruses, spam mailing, computer-related forgery, cyberbullying, and involvement in pornography. Understanding the prevalence and distribution of these activities is vital for devising effective prevention and intervention measures to safeguard the academic community and promote responsible digital behaviour. The analysis of the study's findings indicates that students from higher learning institutions are involved in various common cybercrime acts. Digital piracy, hacking, computer viruses, spam mailing, and computer-related forgery are prevalent activities, with substantial percentages of respondents admitting engagement in these illegal practices. Cyberbullying and involvement in pornography also emerge as concerning trends. These findings highlight the urgency for educational institutions to implement targeted awareness campaigns and educational programs to promote responsible digital behaviour, cybersecurity practices, and ethical conduct among students, aiming to safeguard academic integrity and create a safer digital environment within higher learning institutions.
Digital piracy, according to the study, the majority of respondents stated that digital piracy is a frequent type of cybercrime that involves students from higher education institutions. Most students use or sell pirated CDs or download pirated software and publications. This result is comparable to research on juvenile digital piracy conducted in Cyprus (Bayraktar & Tomczyk, 2021), which found that the most often downloaded files are those related to entertainment. The prevalence of digital piracy may be attributed to the rise in digital literacy and the accessibility and availability of online services.
Hacking, respondents agreed that hacking is also a common form of cybercrime among students. Many hackers use password-cracking software to gain access to computers and attempt to access resources. The findings are similar to a study conducted in Zanzibar (Faki, 2014) that listed hacking as one of the most common forms of cybercrime. Hacking also tops the list of various forms of cybercrime in Nigeria (Udelue M, 2022). In a similar survey (Benard et al., 2010), 50.8% fully agreed, and 37.1% agreed that hacking is a common cybercrime in Tanzania. (Deora et al., 2021) also, mention hacking as a common form of cybercrime. As computer networks increase and the Internet becomes more popular, hacking becomes more common and a target for hackers.
Regarding Computer viruses and spam mailing, the study showed that most respondents agreed that is a common form of cybercrime act. These findings are similar to a study by (Benard et al., 2010) on cybercrime issues on social media among higher learning institutions, in which 75% strongly agreed that computer virus was common. They have attacked them, and 50% have received spam emails/junk mail.
Cyberbullying is another common cybercrime act mentioned in the study in which the respondents strongly agreed that it was a common form of cybercrime act committed in the institutions. These findings are similar to a case study by the Tanzania police force on assessing factors affecting cybercrime management (Mbembela, 2019). Cyberbullying was the leading form of cybercrime committed. Also, (Gönültaş, 2022) conducted a similar study on the prevalence of cyberbullying and victimisation among university students, where the prevalence of cyberbullying was 57%, with males doing this act more than females, probably because they spend more time online and perceive the Internet to be problematic. Due to the increased use and victimisation of women, many students use digital devices to harass, embarrass or threaten another person, which can cause long-term emotional consequences that can lead to mental health problems such as tension and anxiety, sadness, aggressive behaviour among females students compared to men, which can lead to suicide. In addition, students share too much information on social media, which can put them at risk despite strict security settings, as their personal information can be leaked on social media.
Computer-related forgery is another form of cybercrime mentioned in the survey that most respondents agreed was common. These findings are similar to a study conducted by (Ayyoub et al., 2022), which showed that computer-related plagiarism was, on average high among Jordanian university students. It was www.ejtas.com EJTAS 2023 | Volume 1 | Number 4 918 found that the students were not aware of the legal procedures and penalties involved in committing such electronic crimes.
In this study, the majority of respondents strongly agreed that pornography is a common form of cybercrime among students, unlike Mbembela (2019) study, which showed that pornography as a form of cybercrime was only 17.4 percent, so it is not common in comparison to other cybercrimes such as cyberbullying and hacking, on the other hand (Vilks, 2019), studies have shown that pornography is especially common among children. The growth of pornography as a cybercrime is supported by several conditions, such as rapid technological development, the anonymity of cyberspace and the low cost of consumable resources The potential motives that drive higher learning institution students into committing cybercrime acts Regarding the potential motives that drive higher learning institution students into committing cybercrime acts, there was a statistical significance between cybercrime acts involvement and potential motives such as technological growth, peer influence, and internet usage with a p-value of 0.007, 0.01, and 0.02, respectively. While a poor socioeconomic status, lack of awareness of cybercrime law, and individual traits with a p-value of 0.095, 0.106, and 0.298, respectively, had no statistical significance with cybercrime acts involvement. The involvement of higher learning institution students in cybercrime acts is a growing concern, and understanding the potential motives behind their engagement is crucial for devising effective preventive measures. A recent study investigated the relationship between cybercrime acts involvement and various potential motives among students, including technological growth, peer influence, internet usage, socioeconomic status, awareness of cybercrime laws, and individual traits. The study aimed to identify statistically significant associations between these motives and cybercrime involvement, shedding light on the driving forces that lead students to commit cybercrimes.
The analysis of the study's findings revealed significant associations between higher learning institution students' involvement in cybercrime acts and certain potential motives. Technological growth, peer influence, and internet usage showed statistical significance with p-values of 0.007, 0.01, and 0.02, respectively, indicating that students with increased exposure to technology, influenced by peers engaged in cybercrimes, or with higher internet usage are more likely to be involved in cybercriminal activities. However, no statistical significance was found between cybercrime acts involvement and poor socioeconomic status, awareness of cybercrime laws, and individual traits, with p-values of 0.095, 0.106, and 0.298, respectively. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing influential factors to prevent cybercrime involvement among higher learning institution students.
In the study, poor socioeconomic status showed no significant statistical association with cybercrime among college students. The results are similar to a study (Chen et al., 2023) that examined the global geography and causes of cybercrime and found that in low-income countries with low overall internet penetration, cybercrime was mainly observed in more developed regions. With better internet infrastructure, greater internet penetration and advanced education. These findings contradict a study by (Egbeleke, 2019), which showed that financial situations such as lack of funds to purchase licensed software encourage hacking of licensed software for cybercrime purposes.
The study found a statistically significant relationship between higher learning students' technological growth and involvement in cybercrime acts. This is supported by a study (Egbeleke, 2019), which revealed a positive relationship between technological readiness and perceived cybercrime motivations. This means that students proficient in computer technology can download pirated products and use cracked software because they can easily handle computer-related content, unlike those with poor skills.
Peer influence showed a significant statistical association with cybercrime among students. The results are similar to those of (Egbeleke, 2019) study, which showed a positive relationship between peer influence and perceived cybercrime motivation. Likewise, (Oyenuga, 2019), a qualitative study on the factors influencing cybercrime among Nigerian youths revealed that youths claim that friends, directly and indirectly, contributed to their involvement in cybercrime.
Lack of awareness of cybercrime law is another driving force for involvement in cybercrime activities among higher learning institution students; this study showed no statistically significant association with cybercrime act involvement. This contrasts with (Chen et al., 2023), who revealed that the lack of strong cybercrime laws made it easy to commit cybercrimes. And (Egbeleke, 2019) showed that a lack of awareness and knowledge about cybercrime laws made it easy to commit cybercrime acts.
Individual traits also had no statistically significant relationship with students' involvement in cybercrime. This observation is contested by (Palmieri, 2021), who revealed that individual characteristics can be a driver of committing cybercrime acts. It has been found that cybercriminals, especially youth, tend to be impulsive, driven by emotions/status-seeking tendencies, and desire to achieve their goals and be socially dominant, thus committing cybercrime acts.
In this study, Internet usage showed a significant statistical association with cybercrime activity involvement among students from higher learning institutions. This is supported by a study by (Koops & Sluijs, 2011) that showed that The Internet provides opportunities for committing crimes through the Internet with several risk factors mentioned, such as anonymity and flexible network structure. And another study mentioned internet use as a driving force for cybercrime acts due to its higher penetration and higher competence levels on its usage (Chen et al., 2023).

Conclusion
In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and nature of cybercrime acts among students in higher learning institutions. Digital piracy, hacking, computer viruses, spam mailing, computerrelated forgery, and cyberbullying were identified as common forms of cybercrime involvement. The study also revealed potential motives driving students to commit cybercrimes, with technological growth, peer influence, and internet usage showing significant associations. However, factors like poor socioeconomic status, lack of awareness of cybercrime laws, and individual traits did not show statistical significance in cybercrime involvement. These findings emphasise the importance of addressing cybercrime issues in educational settings through awareness programs and proactive measures to protect students and promote a safe digital environment. Further research and targeted interventions are needed to address the root causes of cybercrime and foster responsible online behaviour among students.

Recommendations
The study recommends a multi-faceted approach to address cybercrime among students in higher learning institutions. Key recommendations include enhancing education and awareness of cybercrime consequences, strengthening institutional cybersecurity, promoting positive peer influence, collaborating with law enforcement, providing student support services, integrating ethical training into the curriculum, conducting continuous research, and fostering public-private partnerships. By implementing these recommendations, higher learning institutions can create a safe and responsible digital environment for students, mitigating cybercrime risks and promoting ethical digital citizenship.