Defining Coercion and Undue Influence in Cybersecurity: Impacts on Privacy and Digital Systems

In the evolving landscape of cybersecurity and digital privacy, understanding the concepts of coercion and undue influence is crucial. These terms are not only relevant in legal and social contexts but also play a significant role in designing secure systems, particularly those dealing with sensitive operations like electronic voting.

This article defines coercion and undue influence, explores their implications in digital environments, and explains why resisting these forms of manipulation is critical for ensuring privacy and system integrity.

What Is Coercion?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, coercion is defined as “the use of force to persuade someone to do something that they are unwilling to do.” In cybersecurity, coercion can manifest as psychological or physical threats aimed at forcing a user to make decisions against their will — for instance, being pressured to reveal a password or cast a particular vote in an electronic election.

Coercion directly undermines the principles of autonomy and privacy, making it a significant threat to secure system operations.

What Is Undue Influence?

Undue influence, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, occurs when “someone uses their power or authority in an unfair way to influence a legal decision.” Unlike coercion, which often involves overt threats, undue influence usually leverages emotional or psychological pressure subtly to sway decisions.

In digital systems, undue influence can occur through manipulative interfaces (dark patterns), targeted disinformation campaigns, or exploiting user trust relationships.

Coercion and Undue Influence in Digital Environments

The digital world amplifies opportunities for coercion and undue influence. As outlined in the 2019 article Online Manipulation: Hidden Influences in a Digital World, information technology makes manipulative practices easier and more pervasive. Constant digital surveillance exposes personal vulnerabilities—such as emotional states, preferences, and habits—that can be exploited.

In cybersecurity, recognizing who might be engaging in coercion or undue influence, and understanding their motives, is essential for defending against these threats. Whether the adversary is a cybercriminal, a malicious insider, or even a state actor, identifying potential threats enables the development of better protection mechanisms.

The Relationship Between Privacy, Coercion, and Undue Influence

Privacy protections often serve as the first line of defense against coercion and undue influence. Cryptographic techniques are typically employed to restrict access to sensitive information, preventing adversaries from gathering the data needed to exert pressure.

However, maintaining privacy does not always guarantee coercion resistance — an advanced privacy property particularly critical in high-risk scenarios like electronic voting. Coercion resistance ensures that users cannot be forced into making decisions (like voting for a specific candidate) against their will, even if an adversary attempts to coerce them.

In contexts where the risk of coercion is low, basic privacy protections might suffice. But in high-risk environments, designing systems with coercion resistance becomes a necessity. For example, a national election conducted online would require a voting system engineered to withstand coercion attempts.

Why Coercion Resistance Matters

In cybersecurity, particularly in areas like e-voting and digital rights management, coercion resistance is vital for:

• Preserving individual autonomy.
• Ensuring the integrity of democratic processes.
• Protecting user trust in digital systems.
• Safeguarding personal and sensitive information from manipulation.

Failing to address coercion and undue influence can lead to compromised systems, violated rights, and ultimately, a loss of trust in critical digital infrastructures.

Conclusion

Coercion and undue influence are not just abstract legal concepts — they have real, tangible impacts in the realm of cybersecurity. Designing systems to resist these threats strengthens user privacy, upholds autonomy, and protects the integrity of digital interactions.

For deeper insights into protecting privacy and securing digital systems, explore related articles on BanglaTechInfo, including privacy in electronic voting and advanced cybersecurity strategies.