[ISN] Cybercrime treaty gets green light

From: InfoSec News (isnat_private)
Date: Wed Nov 14 2001 - 07:09:34 PST

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    http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1651000/1651381.stm
    
    12 November, 2001
    
    A controversial treaty that tries to tackle cybercrime has been
    adopted by the 43-nation Council of Europe.
    
    The treaty outlaws some online activities such as fraud and child
    pornography, clarifies some jurisdictional issues and outlines what
    police forces can do when pursuing computer criminals.
    
    A controversial treaty that tries to tackle cybercrime has been
    adopted by the 43-nation Council of Europe.  The treaty outlaws some
    online activities such as fraud and child pornography, clarifies some
    jurisdictional issues and outlines what police forces can do when
    pursuing computer criminals.
    
    The treaty is due to be signed by member states later this month, but
    it will take years to be formally adopted and influence legislation in
    the individual countries taking it up.
    
    Critics say the treaty grants sweeping snooping powers to police
    forces, but does little to protect online privacy and liberty. An
    early draft of the treaty was condemned as "appalling" by pressure
    groups.
    
    Cybercrime blueprint
    
    The treaty tries to standardise just what constitutes cybercrime and
    allows national police forces to ask their overseas counterparts to
    help with investigations or even detain suspects wanted in connection
    with the crimes they commit overseas.
    
    The treaty passed through more than 27 drafts before reaching its
    final version.
    
    The final document is widely seen as a blueprint that will be followed
    by other regional organisations and governments when updating existing
    laws or drafting similar legislation.
    
    Member states will get a chance to sign the treaty at a cybercrime
    conference taking place in Budapest on 23 November.
    
    The treaty comes into force once five nations, including at least
    three that are CoE members, have ratified it. Already the US, Japan
    and Canada have been invited to adopt the treaty.
    
    Democratic conflict
    
    Critics of the treaty have few complaints about what it categorises as
    criminal, but they do worry that the powers it grants to police forces
    could erode online privacy.
    
    Many nations, such as the UK, already have in place legislation that
    lets police forces monitor online life, and some experts fear that
    these powers will be extended by nations adopting the treaty.
    
    Early drafts of the treaty brought the condemnation of the Global
    Internet Liberty Campaign - a broad coalition of more than 30 groups,
    which includes civil libertarians, think-tanks, ethical hackers and
    academics.
    
    GILC expressed its misgivings about the treaty in a letter released
    late last year.
    
    It said the process by which the treaty was drafted was "at odds with
    democratic decision making" because much of it was done in secret.
    
    The letter said the treaty's "lack of consideration towards civil
    liberties was appalling" and called on the Council to redraft it.
    
    
    
    
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