Cybercrime Convention: Narrowing the Cultural and Privacy Gap?

Abstract:     
The Council of Europe (CoE) has taken a giant step in the fight against cybercrime by hammering the first global treaty to provide a standard for combating online crime. The treaty requires the participating nations to update their laws to reflect computer crimes. The measure also includes arrangements for mutual assistance, unregulated information sharing and extradition among participating nations, including oppressive regimes with questionable human rights records. The treaty has been criticised as a document that threatens the rights of the individuals while extending the powers of police authorities. It is viewed as venturing into areas where the existing laws are already adequate.

Keywords: confidentiality, copyright, cultural gap, cybercrime, data protection, human rights, privacy, procedural law, substantive law, surveillance, online crime, computer crimes, information sharing, extradition, culture, information management

JEL Classification: K000 , K1-14

Accepted Paper Series