Perceptions and Analysis of Digital Risks

The concept of digital risk, which has become ubiquitous in the media, sustains a number of myths and beliefs about the digital world. This book explores the opposite view of these ideologies by focusing on digital risks as perceived by actors in their respective contexts.

Perceptions and Analysis of Digital Risks identifies the different types of risks that concern actors and actually impact their daily lives, within education or various socio-professional environments. It provides an analysis of the strategies used by the latter to deal with these risks as they conduct their activities; thus making it possible to characterize the digital cultures and, more broadly, the informational cultures at work.

This book offers many avenues for action in terms of educating the younger generations, training teachers and leaders, and mediating risks. CAMILLE CAPELLE is a Lecturer in Information and Communication Sciences at the University of Bordeaux, France. She has coordinated research on perceptions held by teachers and young adolescents on digital risks and their impact on education.

VINCENT LIQUETE is a Professor in Information and Communication Sciences at the University of Bordeaux, France. He has worked on information cultures and info-communication practices in various fields, including education.

Foreword xi

Franc MORANDI

Introduction xvii

Camille CAPELLE

PART 1. RISK PERCEPTIONS, EDUCATION AND LEARNING 1

CHAPTER 1. DIGITAL RISKS: AN OBSTACLE OR A LEVER FOR EDUCATION? 3

Camille CAPELLE

1.1. Introduction 3

1.2. Digital risks and education: what are we talking about? 4

1.2.1. Digital risks 4

1.2.2. What are the risks in education? 8

1.3. Questioning perceptions of digital risks among new teachers 9

1.3.1. Why was this target audience chosen? 9

1.3.2. Methodology and data collection 10

1.4. Teachers’ perceptions of digital risks 11

1.4.1. When perceptions of risk inhibit any practice 11

1.4.2. When perceptions of risk freeze practices 14

1.4.3. When risk perceptions lead us to consider them in order to overcome them 18

1.5. Reflection on the role of digital risk representations in education 21

1.6. Conclusion 24

1.7. References 25

CHAPTER 2. TEENAGERS FACED WITH “FAKE NEWS”: PERCEPTIONS AND THE EVALUATION OF AN EPISTEMIC RISK 27

Gilles SAHUT and Sylvie FRANCISCO

2.1. Introduction 27

2.2. Fake news: From production to reception 28

2.2.1. Characterizing the fake news phenomenon 29

2.2.2. The potential risks associated with fake news 31

2.2.3. The credibility of fake news 32

2.3. Methodological framework of the study 34

2.4. Results of the study 36

2.4.1. A heterogeneous understanding of the concept 37

2.4.2. A blurred perception of the goals of fake news 39

2.4.3. The diversity of fake news sources 40

2.4.4. Identifying fake news: heuristic processing and analytical strategies 42

2.4.5. A remote and controlled phenomenon? 45

2.5. Discussion of the results and reflections on media and information literacy 46

2.6. Conclusion 49

2.7. References 50

CHAPTER 3. “A BIG NEBULA THAT IS A BIT SCARY” (LOUISE, TRAINEE SCHOOLTEACHER): TRAINING THROUGH/IN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY, IN SCHOOL AND IN PROFESSIONAL TRAINING 55

Anne CORDIER

3.1. Social beings, above all else 57

3.1.1. A “fluid identity” to be grasped 57

3.1.2. Digital technology in the actors’ personal ecosystem 61

3.2. Understanding of digital technology in the classroom 62

3.2.1. Crystallization and awareness of issues 62

3.2.2. When the socio-technical framework hinders the entry of digital technology into the classroom 64

3.2.3. Rather modest and low-risk experiments 66

3.3. Teaching with and through digital technology: Constant risks 68

3.3.1. Tensions in the classroom 68

3.3.2. Tensions in training 71

3.3.3. Desires on both sides 73

3.4. Potential courses of action 76

3.5. References 78

PART 2. RISKS IN THE LIGHT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES 81

CHAPTER 4. TOP MANAGERS CONFRONTED WITH INFORMATION RISKS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY WITHIN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR 83

Dijana LEKIC, Anna LEZON-RIVIÈRE and Madjid IHADJADENE

4.1. Introduction 83

4.2. Information risk: The conceptual field 84

4.3. Controlling information risks: Security policy 89

4.4. Information risk and management 91

4.5. Study methodology and the stakeholder group 93

4.6. Information risk: The perspective of top telecoms managers 94

4.6.1. Top managers as responsible for information risk management 94

4.6.2. Information risk management 97

4.6.3. Operational challenges related to the information risk management approach 100

4.7. Conclusion 104

4.8 Acknowledgments 106

4.9. References 106

CHAPTER 5. CELL PHONES AND SCAMMING RISKS IN CAMEROON: USERS’ EXPERIENCES AND SOCIO-INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES 111

Freddy TSOPFACK FOFACK and Abdel Bernazi RENGOU

5.1. Introduction 111

5.2. Mechanisms behind cell phone scamming in Cameroon: Exhibiting credulity 115

5.2.1. Setting the scene 116

5.2.2. Enticing but misleading proposals 117

5.2.3. Disguised telephone number confusion 119

5.3. The dynamics of cell phone use in Cameroon 121

5.3.1. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications 121

5.3.2. Agence Nationale des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication 122

5.3.3. Agence de Régulation des Télécommunications 122

5.3.4. Cell phone operators 123

5.3.5. The judicial system and cell phone scams 124

5.3.6. Cell phone users and consumer associations 125

5.4. Socio-institutional governance of cell phone use in Cameroon: Optimal or approximate mediations? 126

5.4.1. Information deficit of the users 126

5.4.2. Insufficient means of action 127

5.4.3. Mis-selling of SIM cards by mobile operators: An “ingredient” of mobile scammers 128

5.4.4. The ease of monetary transactions 129

5.4.5. Technological constraints and border porosity 129

5.5. Conclusion 130

5.6. References 131

PART 3. DIGITAL RISKS: PRACTICES AND MEDIATION 135

CHAPTER 6. TOWARDS A NORMATIVE PRESCRIPTION OF INFORMATION PRACTICES ON DIGITAL SOCIAL NETWORKS: A STUDY OF DOCUMENTARY PEDAGOGICAL PROJECTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL 137

Adeline ENTRAYGUES

6.1. Introduction 137

6.2. Contextualization of risk 138

6.3. Issues to consider 138

6.4. Research objects 139

6.5. Research protocol 142

6.6. Risk regarding DSNs in the pedagogical approach 144

6.6.1. Raising awareness of risks: An obvious approach for teacher librarians 144

6.6.2. Considering the views of learners and teachers 145

6.6.3. Considering the risks: Learners aware of digital dangers 148

6.7. Discovering DSNs in a school context: Dealing with risks 151

6.7.1. Pedagogical projects on DSNs to prevent risks: Teachers’ perspectives 151

6.7.2. Overcoming risks: Learners’ perspectives 152

6.8. Perspectives for an information culture 153

6.8.1. Risks, standards and education 153

6.8.2. A culture of information in training 154

6.9. Conclusion 155

6.10. References 155

CHAPTER 7. MIL AS A TOOL FOR TEACHERS TO PREVENT RISK AND TRANSMIT DIGITAL CULTURE 159

Julie PASCAU

7.1. Studying digital technology in schools from the perspective of teachers’ representations 159

7.1.1. Why be interested in representations? 161

7.1.2. The social representation of digital risks through the analysis of institutional discourses 163

7.2. What do digital and media literacy evoke in teachers? 164

7.2.1. The weak presence of digital technology and MIL in elementary school 165

7.2.2. Risks in the representations of MIL among primary school teachers 166

7.2.3. A positive perception of the role of digital technology in the classroom 169

7.3. The contours of media and information literacy according to teachers 171

7.3.1. The objects of MIL from the discourse of primary school teachers 172

7.3.2. What does digital technology mean for teachers? 173

7.4. What does the requirement to transmit digital culture mean for teachers? 178

7.4.1. Digital culture: A very vague concept 178

7.4.2. What primary school teachers think digital literacy means 180

7.5. Conclusion 187

7.6. References 189

Conclusion 193

Camille CAPELLE

Postface 197

Vincent LIQUÈTE

List of Authors 201

Index 203