UK Opposition Announce Cybercrime Plans

On March 6th 2008, the British Conservative Party announced a comprehensive and wide-ranging platform to combat what it terms the growing threat of online crime, including internet violence, hacking and online fraud. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, speaking at the E-Crime Congress in London, outlined a series of proposals that could be put in place if the party were to take power at the next general election. "Cybercrime is a growing and serious threat to individuals, business and government," Davis said. "It is a problem that will continue to escalate as technology changes." The plans include the creation of a new ministerial post – a single Home Office minister directly responsible for co-ordinating policy against cybercrime, a centre where members of the public can report online crime, a Police National Cybercrime Unit and a unit of cybercrime specialist prosecutors. Also proposed is a requirement to compel financial institutions to report any suspected security compromise of their computer systems, and a new offence of "reckless handling of personal data by government", making it a criminal offence for any civil servant or government contractor to lose an individual's personal data from their control. For related news items, see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/06/politics.hitechcrime; and http://tinyurl.com/27tots The Conservative Party report, "Tackling Cybercrime", can be found at: http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=142781 Summary by: Clare McCurley