December 31, 2001—The Convention on Cybercrime, the first international treaty on crimes committed via the Internet and other computer networks, was signed in November 2001 by the US, the UK, Japan, and 27 other countries. The Convention, drawn up after four years of research by the Council of Europe along with the United States, Canada, Japan, and other countries, deals particularly with infringements of copyright, computer-related fraud, child pornography, and violations of network security. It also contains a series of powers and procedures such as the search of computer networks and interception. The Convention will go into effect once it is ratified by five states, including at least three members of the Council of Europe.
The treaty’s main objective is to pursue a common criminal policy aimed at the protection of society against cybercrime, especially by adopting appropriate legislation and fostering international cooperation. Future additions will make any publication of racist and xenophobic propaganda via computer networks a criminal offense. The final version of the Convention is available from the Council of Europe.
