The role of chatbots in e-government : The awareness of computer crime in Portugal

The intensive use of electronic equipment and the growing offer of services over the Internet has increased the incidence of computer crime. Although there are public measures in Portugal aimed at promoting the digital skills of citizens in matters of security and privacy of electronic equipment, they need to address the more complex aspects of this type of crime. Due to this specificity, preventive measures of the phenomenon may benefit from the know-how and experience of entities with legal powers in the area, especially the National Center for Cybersecurity (CNCS), the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP), and the Judicial Police (PJ). In the public administration in Portugal, emerging technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) are being adopted to enhance communication between the State and citizens. Awareness-raising extensive actions should make use of these technological tools. Thus, this article describes the research leading to the identification of an efficient electronic device (artifact) in an e-government context aimed at informing and raising awareness among citizens about the growing phenomenon of cybercrime.