Cybersecurity is one of the Commission’s priorities in its response to the Coronavirus crisis, which has witnessed increased cyberattacks. RAYUELA (01/10/2020-30/09/2023) is a project specifically conceived to address this sensitive issue, offering an unprecedented response in full alignment with the key objectives of the Commission’s Research and Innovation framework programmes. RAYUELA brings together law enforcement agencies, sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, legal experts, computer scientists and engineers to develop innovative methodologies for enhanced cybersecurity. The stakeholders involved will achieve a better understanding of the factors affecting online behaviour related to new digital attack vectors and cyber-criminality, and boost the potential of young talents in the adoption of cybersecurity and advanced technologies. RAYUELA’s main goal is to better understand the drivers and human factors affecting cyber-criminality, thus empowering and educating young target groups to a more conscious and aware use of the Internet through gaming, in a preventive and mitigating action to reduce cybercriminal behaviour. The main role of the BPI is to create a successful communication and dissemination strategy towards public, relevant stakeholders and target groups and also to support research phase thorough specific working packages.

RAYUELA will focus on cybercrimes with prevalence among young target groups:

• Online grooming: being harassed by adults who may take advantage of their vulnerability, online distribution of child sex-abuse materials and live-streaming of child sexual abuse.
• Cyberbullying: young people turning into offenders, such as cyberbullies, who spread fake rumours, photos or threaten classmates, and hackers, by sharing and downloading copyrighted materials.
• Human trafficking: digital communication technologies are widely used for trafficking for sexual exploitation.

The work plan will include some key activities:

1. Building a knowledge base on cybercrime drivers for children and young adults.
2. Technology assessment and IT threat
3. Development of a cyber-adventure serious gaming
4. Implementation of pilot studies to collect and monitor data on users’ behaviour and online activity through gaming apps.
5. Data analysis to identify patterns for profiling and analysis of online habits from potential young victims and offenders.
6. Capacity building for cybercrime prevention and awareness: communication and dissemination actions to facilitate prevention of cybercrime and foster awareness among young target groups.

The project will be implemented by 17 partners from nine European countries: Spain, Belgium, Slovakia, Estonia, Portugal, UK, Latvia, Greece, and Germany.

Website:  https://www.rayuela-h2020.eu/

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