Since the time that the internet was introduced to the general public, it only followed one direction, and that is to innovate. Along with its growth and innovation, it poses unique challenges and opportunities at the same time. Just as law abiding citizens are using their router modem combo for productive and useful applications, hackers, criminals and careless individuals are wrongfully using internet capabilities and thus, creating big problems.
From viruses, internet fraud, copyright infringement, theft of data and service and the likes have all been creating billions of dollars in yearly losses. Because of this, law enforcement both at the state and federal level is having a hard time to keep up with the advancements in computer tech. Luckily, there are many different laws that have been passed to fight computer crime.
Ways of Warding off Cyber Crime
In many different ways, cyber crimes are almost the same with long-established crimes which include:
- Theft
- Fraud
- Trespass
- Vandalism
- Harassment and;
- Copyright infringement
All of the said issues have predated the internet. The current laws in the said areas are forming the basis on which the state and federal authorities may pursue people who have committed crimes that are related to the internet. Problems do arise however not really much with how the crime was done but, with the nature of the internet.
Computer networks span all over the globe which enables people in almost any state or country to commit illegal acts in other locations outside their native land so long as there’s a fast and strong internet connection and a computer of course. The humongous reach and also near anonymity of the World Wide Web make it hard for prosecutors to track down criminal activity down to its source.
Giving Justice the Teeth to Catch Internet Violators
So in an effort to address the internet’s unique nature, state and federal legislatures supplemented the current criminal law. Now, prosecutors of state and federal level have the power to choose from extensive body of law to fight internet crime including the Federal Wire Fraud Statute, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Copyright Act and Electronics Communications Privacy Act.
