Cyber Hygiene Propaganda: Why Scaremongering Doesn't Work and Which Narratives Actually Change Behavior

[Professor]

Abstract: Calls to "be vigilant!" and frightening statistics about millions of hacks are ubiquitous, yet people's habits are slow to change. Why is knowledge about threats so poorly converted into safe behavior? It turns out that scaremongering is a dead end. True, effective cyberhygiene propaganda isn't about intimidation, but the subtle art of motivation. This article explores why classic "scare stories" fail and what stories, values, and approaches are truly capable of motivating people to make digital hygiene as natural as handwashing.

Introduction: The Awareness Paradox​

Most users today know that phishing exists, that passwords should be made complex, and that the sender of emails from "banks" should be verified. Yet, people still click on dubious links, use the same password for all sites, and ignore updates. This is the paradox: knowledge does not equal action. Intimidation appeals to fear, but fear is a poor long-term motivator. It either triggers panic (hysterical, irrational activity) or, more often, psychological avoidance and repression : "It won't happen to me," "It's too difficult to think about." A different language is needed.

1. Why Horror Stories Fail: The Psychology of Defense Against Anxiety​

The human brain is designed to protect us from constant stress.

• Normalization effect: A constant stream of frightening news about cyberthreats leads not to vigilance, but to a dulling of reactions. The threat becomes background noise, "white noise," to which immunity develops. "Something's been hacked again, life as usual."
• Abstraction cascade: "Fraudsters stole 10 million card details" is an abstract, unimaginable figure. The brain has nothing to latch onto. There's no concrete face, story, or emotion. Abstract threats are rejected by the psyche as irrelevant.
• Shifting Responsibility ("It's Not About Me"): Intimidation often paints the victim as ignorant and careless. Viewers who consider themselves intelligent automatically exclude themselves from the risk group: "I'm not like that; I wouldn't fall for such a simple scam." The irony is that this very confidence makes them vulnerable.
• Feelings of helplessness: If the message is "the world is full of dangerous hackers and you're powerless," it creates apathy rather than action. "If even large corporations get hacked, what can I do?"

2. Keys to Effective Narrative: From Fear to Meaningful Action​

To change behavior, a message must pass four psychological filters: be relevant, understandable, actionable, and meaningful.

2.1. Relevance: "This is about you and your loved ones."
Instead of abstract millions of messages, you need to show specific, recognizable scenarios.

• Not: "Fraudsters steal money."
• Yes: "Imagine your mom gets a text message from "you": "Mom, I was in an accident, I urgently need money for a lawyer." She's panicking, she won't check the number. How can you prepare her in advance?"
• Mechanics: Linking a threat to caring for loved ones is one of the most powerful triggers. Cyber hygiene is presented not as a burden, but as an act of responsibility and love.

2.2. Clarity and Simplicity: "It's Not Rocket Science."
Complex instructions are rejected. It's necessary to break down a larger goal ("become safe") into micro-actions.

• Not: "Use a password manager and two-factor authentication."
• Yes: "Let's do one thing today in 5 minutes: enable two-factor authentication on your main email account. This is your digital key to your apartment — it'll now be a double key."
• Mechanics: Focus on a single, specific, quick action with a clear analogy from the physical world. Success in completing it gives a sense of competence and a desire to move forward.

2.3 Feasibility and Agency: “You can control it”
The message should not convey a sense of vulnerability, but a sense of control and power.

• Not: "You can be hacked at any moment."
• Yes: "Here are three simple steps that eliminate 90% of threats. You put a digital lock on your door. You decide who comes in."
• Mechanics: Presenting information as a set of tools and superpowers. "Here's how to spot a fake email (superpower: attention to detail). Here's how to create an unguessable password (superpower: building fortresses)."

2.4. Significance and Positive Values: “It Makes You Cool”
Cyber hygiene needs to be “tied” to positive identities and values that are already important to the person.

• For parents: "Being a modern parent means not only giving your child a gadget but also teaching them digital literacy. This is a new skill of care."
• For the professional: "A competent specialist protects not only their own data but also the company's data. Security is a sign of professional competence."
• For young people: "Being cutting-edge isn't just about knowing the latest TikTok trend; it's about managing your digital reputation and privacy. It's about being mindful."
• Mechanics: Linked to identity, status, and competence. Safe behavior becomes not a "must have" out of fear, but "cool to have" as part of the image of an intelligent, responsible, modern person.

3. The Power of Storytelling: From Statistics to Empathy​

People remember stories, not numbers.

• A story of salvation: Not a story of a victim who lost everything, but a story of a man who recognized a threat and prevented it thanks to a simple rule. This proves the effectiveness of action.
• An "Ex" Story: A candid account from someone who participated in these scams, detailing how they find victims and what buttons they push. This demystifies the threat, making it a tactic that can be studied and defuse.
• Metaphors and analogies: "Your password is like your apartment key. You wouldn't leave one key under the doormat for every apartment in the city, would you? A password manager is a secure keychain for all your keys."

4. Channels and Messengers: Speak on the Right Platform​

Even the best narrative won't work if it's delivered in the wrong place.

• Instead of boring corporate brochures, we offer short, vibrant Reels/Shorts-style videos embedded in a stream of entertaining content.
• Instead of lectures for the elderly, there are in-person "digital tea parties" in libraries or clubs, where assistance is provided in a confidential, informal setting.
• At school: Not a separate life safety lesson, but the integration of principles into other subjects — discussion of privacy when working with social networks in literature (the topic of privacy in "1984"), the basics of cryptography in mathematics.

Conclusion: Cyberhygiene as a Culture of Caring​

Effective cyber hygiene advocacy isn't a scare campaign, but rather the long, subtle work of cultivating a new cultural norm. Like washing your hands before eating or wearing your seat belt in a car.

Its goal is to shift the focus from external threats ("evil hackers") to internal strength and responsibility ("I manage my digital boundaries"). It shouldn't speak the language of fear, but rather the language of awareness, competence, and care — for yourself, your data, your loved ones, and your digital footprint.

When cyber hygiene ceases to be associated with complexity and paranoia and begins to evoke the image of an intelligent, modern, and reliable person, that's when it truly becomes "viral" in the best sense of the word. This is the journey from the preachy "you should" to the personal "I can and I want to." And along this path, the strongest motivation is not the fear of loss, but the desire to gain control, confidence, and peace of mind in your digital life.