Influence of Public Perceptions on Cybersecurity Policy Framework Formation
Johannes Joubert, Mike Nkongolo · International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security · 2025
This systematic literature review seeks to understand influence of the relationship between public perceptions and governmental responses to cybersecurity. The focus is on how these perceptions influence policy formulation processes. This is achieved by comparing the approaches of the United States of America (U.S.A), China, Australia, and Sweden. We analyse the alignment and discrepancies between public expectations and governmental cybersecurity strategies. And examine the legislative and practical challenges of bringing public views into play within effective policy frameworks. While the findings highlight high public awareness and concern about cybersecurity, the analysis appears to overly generalize without considering disparities in public awareness across socio-economic groups or regional variations, raising questions about the representativeness of these conclusions. What we reveal across governance models is a common tendency for reactive rather than proactive governmental responses with differing degrees of openness and public participation. Hence, a conclusion is drawn on the proposal of a theoretical framework that would promote a participative approach to policymaking in cybersecurity between governments and the public. A policy which enhances its relevance and effectiveness by being resonant with the public's concerns and global standards. This policy serves as the foundation for robust, practical, and highly inclusive cybersecurity frameworks designed not only to address technological threats but also to align with public expectations and perspectives on national security.