International Cybercrime Convention

Abstract

The Internet’s global character and the increasing pressure from industries have prompted legislators to sort-out cross border cybercrime issues with a legislative solution—the CoE Convention on Cybercrime. The Convention on Cybercrime is the first international treaty on crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks, dealing particularly with infringements of copyright, computer-related fraud, child pornography and violations of network security. Its main objective, set out in the preamble, is to pursue a common criminal policy aimed at the protection of society against cybercrime, especially by adopting appropriate legislation and fostering international co-operation. The convention is cause for concern as it gives governments too much power without any system of check and balance, and without protecting the civil liberties of web users.