The Cyber Effect: A Pioneering Cyberpsychologist Explains How Human Behaviour Changes Online

by Mary Aiken

From the world's leading expert in forensic cyberpsychology - a discipline that combines psychology, forensics and technology - comes a groundbreaking exploration of the impact of technology on human behaviour.

The average person now checks their phone over 200 times a day. That's a serious addiction - but because we're all doing it all the time, it doesn't seem quite so scary. And, like all addicts, we have avoided thinking about the implications of the cyber effect.

But now, at last, there is someone who can explain what is happening to us, how it works and what we can do about it. In this, the first book of its kind, Dr Mary Aiken applies her expertise in cyber-behavioural analysis to a range of subjects including criminal activity on the Deep Web and Darknet; deviant behaviour; internet addictions; the impact of technology on the developing child; teenagers and the Web; cyber romance and cyber friendships; cyberchrondria; the future of artificial intelligence; and the positive effects on our digital selves, such as online altruism.

Packed with vivid stories, eye-opening insights and surprising statistics, The Cyber Effect offers us a fascinating guide through a new future that it's not too late to do something about.

Genres: Nonfiction, Technology, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published August 18, 2016

About the author

Mary Aiken is an associate professor at the University College Dublin, Geary Institute for Public Policy, and academic advisor (Psychology) to the European Cyber Crime Centre (EC3) at Europol. She is a lecturer in Criminology and research Fellow at the School of Law, Middlesex University and a Fellow of the Society for Chartered IT Professionals. Mary is a sense making Fellow at the IBM Network Science Research Centre, and has served as a distinguished professor of the Practice of Cyber Analytics at AIRS. She is a member of The Hague Justice Portal advisory board and director of the Cyberpsychology Research Network.

Reviews

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This woman is a prude and a fucking narc, yet she makes a few good arguments. Thus 3 stars instead of 2.

Any time that people want to talk about kink and then bring up twilight and 50 shades of Grey.... I am BESIDE MYSELF with laughter. That's like saying you want to talk about good nutrition and then bring up subway sandwiches (reminder that in Ireland you aren't even legally allowed to refer to their bread as bread). I also just could not even with her discussion about the dark web and piracy. I also disagree ardently with her conception of the digital self (my current research interest) because it was just so flawed.

This woman is paid to track criminals like sex offenders and drug smuggers, so she obviously goes into worst case scenario mode like all the time. It's a bit dramatic but I get it.

The thing is, as a millennial, I feel both like a digital native and also sometimes like a Victorian scholar adventurer hauling around suitcases full of dusty books... depending on my mood. Even though I didn't have a cell phone until I was 16 (or a smart phone until college), I still formally learned how to type in school at age 6 and I was in irc chats back in the 90s with the best of them. I learned basic coding in high school but I've always felt removed from the computer. I spent most of my childhood outside chasing lizards and reading physical books. I don't endless scroll, I don't spend hours texting, I'm not on dating sites. My phone is mostly for illegally downloading books/audiobooks and legal music. I watch educational YouTube videos and I make lists of things.
I never spoke to axe murderers, accidentally bought drugs with crypto, bullied anyone, learned impossible standards from porn, became addicted to gambling, or traumatized myself with gore.... But I know a bunch of people who have. And I agree that we need better protection for children.

I think the ways we interact with technology is really interesting but this book doesn't really reflect that. It's a bit dated, and that's okay.

For a long time, this overly positive narrative about cyberspace has prevailed. I think for younger generations that's waned significantly. However, I feel like now (and a decade ago) it's good to discuss the negative aspects of the internet so we can have a broader and more nuanced perspective. I assume that's her goal, anyway, when she focuses so much on the negative.

[Tommy S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written when I watched TV shows CSI Cyber. This movie is based on this book. Mary Aiken as a cyberpsychologist is the same as Avery Ryan. Both are blondes and damn smart. Smarter than many other hackers. but if you want to be an expert in cybersecurity, you must be a little devil or a black hat...

[Crazy Jaeger OwO · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got mixed feelings about the book.

I have to admit that there are a couple of good questions and points raised in the book, especially those about how digital technology is affecting children, and I do agree with a couple of arguments the author makes; but some of the arguments are blown out of proportion and reach a few outlandish theories.

The earlier chapters of the book show some lack of knowledge on certain aspects that are commented, seems to focus on extreme examples of things going wrong, even though they are very rare cases and even seemed to contradict themselves on a couple of occasions.

In my opinion, some of the issues raised about cyberspace have nothing to do with it. Sure, technology and the Internet have heightened them and maybe even put the spotlight on them, but they were always there, just harder to see. Many of these issues would diminish significantly if they were tackled in "real life" (as she puts it).

[Umma]

It was fine. In parts really interesting, in other parts quite boring and things we've heard for many years.

Some of the personal encounters and stories were interesting. Our behaviour definitely differs online to that in person, and on the extreme it can be quite harrowing - some people not understanding the difference between the real world and the online world.

[Shanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who works in the field of cybersecurity and knew most of the details discussed in the book beforehand, I admit that I definitely didn’t take away as much from this book that the average reader might.
While the author does acknowledge at the beginning of the book that technology has some amazing benefits, this was not the focus of her book, everything felt a bit “doom and gloom” for me. Which is not to say that it isn’t true or important - every person, especially every parent, should be aware of the risks that come with growing up in this new technological era.
That being said, there are some points I didn’t agree with her on, such as internet access leading adults to more “extreme” sexual practices. Does the internet provide more accessibility to niches/kinks that might be more underground and difficult to find in the “real world”? Absolutely. But for adults, that isn’t a bad thing. Finding kink online isn’t going to make an adult do something that is not characteristic of them, it just allows them more exposure. Had the author limited herself to just the danger of children’s exposure to pornography, I would agree - it gives young adults a distorted and unrealistic view of sex. To be honest, I could easily see the author saying that more young people are “becoming” LGBTQ+ because they see it online, and not that they are able to identify earlier because they have always felt that way but didn’t have the words for it or the necessary resources.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nearly a decade later, a lot of what Dr. Aiken writes about has come to fruition. Unfortunately, the only thing that's missing is the part where we move forward with a strong focus on ethics and concern for how it affects human development. Also, finishing this right after a row of tech billionaires sit front row at an inauguration that was more or less bought and paid for, granting them unfettered access to regulating bodies is as ominous as it comes.

The concerns around online dating, trafficking, and stalking persist but are amplified with the bubbling up of multiple types of social media and dating apps; "iPad kids" is a regularly used term and more or less an accepted form of babysitting (suggesting otherwise, especially if you don't have children yourself, is considered mommy or daddy-shaming. Video games continues to balloon as a cash cow industry. Now add the prevalence of drones, virtual gaming, AI, and robot girlfriends - woof.

As terrifying as the results probably would be, I would love to see a follow up by Dr. Aiken evaluating the rapid changes over the past decade. Then again, if I were her, I too would want to stay in nature in Ireland and drown out the noise.

[Ian Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of pertinent topics discussed in this book. I'm not a huge fan of Mary's writing though and at times the book mutates into a humble brag about her achievements and accolades. Perhaps this is deliberate and part of an experiment into how readers react to these sections, but for me it detracted from the impact of the message the book was seeking to deliver.

Overall, I recommend you read this book and follow its call to action to create a better Internet for our future generations.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possibly a little dated of a read for 2025, but I’m no expert in the world of cyber or technology. Though some thing seemed like common sense or a non-issue, this book served as a great reminder of the dangers of cyberspace; best analogized as the Caribbean Sea from the Golden Age of Piracy. Well written and easy to read. Good book to make parents of children or parents to be think about their and their children’s technology use. From a psychology perspective, it was at least thought provoking but pretty basic. Overall, I recommend this book.

[Marie Weis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cyber Effect examines how constant exposure to technology and the digital world impacts human behavior, development, and mental health. The book explores both the benefits and risks of living online, especially for children and adolescents. I found this book insightful because it presents research-based perspectives in a clear and accessible way, encouraging readers to think more critically about how technology shapes behavior and well-being in today’s society.

[Zee · Rating 1 out of 5]

struggled through 43% of this. soooo full of contradictions and skirting around the bigger picture of things. and then she brings up palestinians randomly just to call them terrorists. dnf. fuck this boomer zionist bs

[Kara Warren · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't take a cyberpsychologist seriously that calls ADHD a mood disorder and doesn't know what a MMORPG is. I DNF partway through chapter three because this is such terrible writing by someone way too full of herself.

[Shourov Hasonov Pre · Rating 3 out of 5]

🥱😑🔳

[Supreeth Baliga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unnecessarily stretched in the later half.

[Matthew Samuels · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf. I prefer my pseudoscience without a side order of moralistic judgment.

[Taner Beyhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every parents should read this book

[Jonathan Garvey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pop, easy read.