New devlopments in data secuirty: a cybercrime treaty.

[quote=benjaminz6]Computer security and software companies are urging the U.S. Senate to approve the world's first treaty targeting cybercrime.



In a letter to the senate, the group of companies urged the senate to approve the cybercrime treaty.



According to the letter, "The cybercrime convention will serve as an important tool in the global fight against those who seek to disrupt computer networks, misuse private or sensitive information, or commit traditional crimes utilizing Internet-enabled technologies.



It requires countries to adopt similar criminal laws against hacking, infringements of copyrights, computer-facilitated fraud, child pornography and other illicit cyberactivities."




Since the US law already covers most of what the treaty calls for, they senate's vote would be symbolic.




The treaty has many provisions. For instance, it requires nations to adopt laws governing search and seizure of stored data, surreptitious Internet wiretapping, cross-border assistance, and retention of Internet provider records upon police demand.


It also attacks INTERNET piracy by calling on nations to enact laws against INTERNET piracy and devices that enable INTERNET piracy on a large scale.

-Information from Cnet[/quote]

As always, there has to be 2 sides to every story. in this case there are indeed opponents to this proposed treaty.


Many Civil liberty groups are concerned about the treaty because of its perceived invasive nature.



In a letter to the Senate Foreign Relations committee last year, The Electronic Privacy Information Center argued against the ratification of the treaty by saying that, "it would create invasive investigative techniques while failing to provide meaningful privacy and civil liberties safeguards."



Surprisingly, this treaty organized by companies such as Business Software Alliance, VeriSign, InfraGard and the Cyber Security Industry Alliance,has been ratified by 11 countries.


These nations include, Denmark, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. President Bush is also in favor of this treaty.

Another feature of this treaty involves its rule against insensitivity.


the treaty would require nations to imprison anyone guilty of "insulting publicly, through a computer system" certain groups of people based on characteristics such as race or ethnic origin. This would make it a crime to tell racist jokes online.



According to the department of justice, it would be unconstitutional for the US to adopt this treaty because it would trample on the public's right for freedom of speech.

The only way anything is going to be done is if someone has the (excuse my language) balls to open their mouth and speak. I'm personally glad that actions are being taken more seriously now because the internet is a truely wonderful invention that has been completely destroyed by immoral businesses and their lack of ethic.

I do not agree, however, on taking away free speech on the internet. If someone chooses to be discriminatory that is their right AS LONG AS it is not affecting the person in an unfair way. People may not agree with you, your beliefs, etc ... and may even be very vocal about it, but that doesn't mean you have to pay attention to their ranting.

I'm concerned about internet regulation because (like anything) you don't want governments going TOO far to ruin such a wonderful global-unity-utility.