The Business Times reports:
A landmark United Nations cybercrime treaty, aimed at tackling offences that cost the global economy trillions of dollars annually, is set to be signed in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi by around 60 countries over the weekend.
The convention, which will take effect after it is ratified by 40 nations, is expected to streamline international cooperation against cybercrime, but has been criticised by activists and tech companies over concerns of possible human rights abuses.
[…]
Critics have warned its vague definition of crime could enable abuse. The Cybersecurity Tech Accord, which includes Meta and Microsoft, has dubbed the pact a “surveillance treaty”, saying it may facilitate data sharing among governments and criminalise ethical hackers who test systems for vulnerabilities.
Read more at The Business Times.
According to the United Nations:
The newly adopted Cybercrime Convention, officially called the Convention on Cybercrime: Strengthening International Cooperation to Combat Crimes Committed Through ICT Systems, is the first international criminal justice treaty to have been negotiated in over 20 years.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, until now, there had been no globally negotiated and adopted convention text on cybercrime. Under the new Cybercrime Convention, responses to cybercrime are expected to be quicker, better coordinated and more effective–making both our digital and physical worlds safer.
The convention creates an unprecedented global framework and platform for collaboration to combat cybercrime while safeguarding human rights and making sure that global digital spaces are protected, inclusive and adaptable to emerging threats.
Beyond its legal dimensions, the convention prioritizes inclusivity and equity, offering vital capacity-building support to countries with limited resources. It acknowledges that cybersecurity is not just a technical issue but a human rights imperative, ensuring protections for marginalized communities and safeguarding fundamental freedoms in the digital age.
Download the Cybercrime Convention (47 pp, .pdf)
For more on the opposition to the convention from the tech industry, read The Record, which reports:
A spokesperson for the State Department told Recorded Future News the U.S. will attend the proceedings but said it is still reviewing the treaty when asked whether the U.S. will be one of the first signatories.