Mass awareness campaigns are essential for

• reaching the general public with basic information on cyber Laws
• articulating the general philosophy behind cyber laws
• enlightening the public about the impact of technology-aided crime

A successful mass awareness campaign requires the synergy of all mass media channels (TV, radio, press, other media) and interactive discussions and lectures at public forums.

The basic steps to be followed include:

1. Segment Target Population:

   A decision should be made on what segments of the general population should be targetted. For instance, the segments could be school students, non-technical college students, technical college students, professionals, pensioners etc.

2. Market Research:

   Preliminary research to ascertain current levels of knowledge, awareness and general practices among the target segments is essential. Qualitative research can provide baseline data for future evaluation of impact. This can be followed by quantitative research. Careful attention must be paid to the questionnaire development and sampling.

3. Concept Development and Media Plan:

   The overall tone and theme of a campaign should be developed on the basis of the philosophy and the results of research.

4. Implementation:

   The mass awareness campaign can run for a period of three months to one year depending on audience exhaustion and comprehension of the messages. All media materials should be ready and disseminated at the same time.

5. Monitoring:

   It is essential to carefully monitor the implementation and impact of the campaign to ensure that materials have been disseminated, and to assess audience participation through listener surveys, spot interviews, and analysis of letters and requests for information in an on-going fashion during the life of the campaign.

6. Evaluation and Reprogramming:

   After the completion of the campaign cycle, a repeat baseline evaluation should be conducted along with a study to produce some qualitative data on the impact of the campaign. The data should be analyzed and fed into the programming of the next cycle of the awareness campaign. Awareness campaigns must be continuous.