‘I fell into it’: ex-criminal hackers urge Manchester pupils to use web skills for good

The Guardian - World NewsEN 4 min read 100% complete by Dan Milmo Global technology editorFebruary 8, 2026 at 09:00 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

Two former hackers from the cybercrime ecosystem "The Com" spoke to students at Connell Co-op College in Manchester about the realities of online crime. As part of an initiative backed by the Co-op and The Hacking Games, the former criminals urged teenagers with coding and gaming skills to use their abilities for good. They described the reality of cybercrime as filled with online disputes and real-world consequences, rather than glamorous exploits. Conor Freeman, who was jailed for cryptocurrency theft, shared his experience of being groomed online and drawn into dark web hacking forums. The initiative aims to redirect young talent towards ethical hacking and cybersecurity to help companies defend against cyberattacks.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Connell Co-op College 30% Dublin 30% The Hacking Games 40% Co-op ×250% The Com ×260% Manchester ×270% Conor Freeman ×380%

Keywords

cybercrime 100% hacking 90% ethical hacking 80% online crime 70% cryptocurrency theft 70% the com 60% digital skills 60% doxing 50% swatting 50% dark web 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

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The Guardian - World News

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90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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cybercrime hacking ethical hacking online crime cryptocurrency theft the com digital skills doxing swatting dark web

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