Cracking Down On Cybercrime Global Response: The Cybercrime Convention

Computers and the Internet have brought innumerable benefits to society. They have revolutionized the way people work, play, and communicate. In spite of the benefits the Internet has introduced to the global community, it is also fraught with risks associated with undesirable elements keen to misuse its usage. Computers and the Internet present new ways to engage in old crimes, such as fraud and piracy. They also have made it possible for criminals to perpetrate new harmful acts, like data access and interference. However, national legislations and regional agreements are not sufficient to address the global nature of cybercrime. Therefore, in order to prosecute cybercrime as well as other types of crime, a common framework must be created that can punish these crimes irrespective of where they are committed. The International Cybercrime Convention has recently come into force focusing on an international solution to combat cybercrime. This paper analyses the implications of the new Cybercrime Convention on organisations and private individuals, and whether the requirements of the Convention balance the need for a criminal crackdown with the equally critical need to maintain basic freedoms