Combating cybercrime

Internet technology has opened up our world, but at the same time created new possibilities for criminals. The Council of Europe had been dealing with the topic from the mid-1980s, but by 2001 it was clear that consolidated action was needed to protect our rights in cyberspace. With cybercrime representing a worldwide problem, the discussions included not only Council of Europe members, but representatives from Canada, Japan, South Africa and the United States of America. Together they drew up the first international treaty to criminalise attacks using computers and agreed investigative procedures and methods for international police and judicial cooperation. As the use of communication technology continued to mushroom, it became clear that stricter measures were needed to stop hate crimes such as creating and sending out racist propaganda, and a 2006 Protocol was brought in to widen the Convention’s scope.

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