Risk assessments of virtual interactions on Saudi families

Abstract

Family relationships are the basis for a stable family atmosphere. Now with the internet, which has become a tangible part of our lives, membership of virtual communities, including social networks, has grown. It has created fundamental changes in the structure of social relationships and human interaction, forming a new framework of virtual interactions that transcend international borders. Due to their significance, unavoidability, availability, confidentiality, ease of use, and intrusive nature through interaction and sharing, virtual communities now extend beyond the individual and related level of risk. This study aimed to assess the cultural and behavioral risks of virtual interactions for Saudi families and their level of incidence and likelihood. It belonged to descriptive studies, using the social survey for a sample (1524) from Hail region families between 15 December 2022 and 31 January 2023, and was based on the list of cultural and behavioral risks of virtual interactions. Results showed that the most dangerous social networking sites for Saudi families were TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram respectively. Matrix results showed that 66.7% of virtual interaction threats have a high severity and likelihood, namely: adopting atheistic ideas, spreading the thought of hate, undermining the values of the Saudi family, and adopting ideas that incite violence from cultural threats, privacy hacks, cyber-bullying, fraud, violence, social isolation and cybercrime from behavioral threats. The study recommends adopting a social risk management (SRM) concept, especially regarding risks to family, because it is a new dimension of social protection.