Report on computer-related crime in the Information Society
A report on the legal aspects of computer-related crime in the Information Society, prepared by the University of Würzburg, Austria, for the European Commission, DG XIII, is now available. The aim of this study was to provide the Commission with up-to-date information on the legal issues of computer-related crime, in particular in respect of substantive criminal law, procedural criminal law, as well as the suggestion of alternative solutions. Computer-related crime presents a major threat to today's Information Society and includes offences such as infringements of privacy, economic crimes, violations of intellectual property rights and dissemination of illegal content. This present analysis shows that, at present, the focus of computer crime lies in the field of economic crimes such as computer fraud, hacking, espionage and the theft of intellectual property. Following analysis of national, international and supranational activities, the report concludes that comprehensive, international answers are still missing. The report details solutions to these problems, and states that any solution must be specific, comprehensive and international, comprising technology, education, industry and the law. The report illustrates these four remedies and goes on to specify them with respect to concrete recommendations for the European Union. One of the report's key recommendations is the extension and updating of a database of national computer crime statutes which were collected for the study, to be accessible, eventually, via the Internet.