Earlier this month, leaders gathered in Paris for the hundredth anniversary of the end of World War One. French President Emmanuel Macron took this time of gathering (as it also overlapped with the UNESCO Internet Governance Forum) to introduce a new initiative he’s been working on called the “Paris call for trust and security in cyberspace.”
What Does the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace Include?
In short, the document is a loose agreement for nations and corporations to band together to improve attention toward criminal activity across the internet, specifically on cybercrime and malicious activity that “endanger both our private data and certain critical infrastructures,” according to the French Government’s website.
The document specifically cites the following actions:
- Increase prevention against and resilience to malicious online activity
- Protect the accessibility and integrity of the Internet
- Cooperate in order to prevent interference in electoral processes
- Work together to combat intellectual property violations via the Internet
- Prevent the proliferation of malicious online programs and techniques
- Improve the security of digital products and services as well as everybody’s “cyber hygiene”
- Clamp down on online mercenary activities and offensive action by non-state actors
- Work together to strengthen the relevant international standards
The Reaction Across the Globe
The document was supported by more than 50 nations across the world, including the majority of EU countries, Japan and Canada. Among the more than 150 corporations who supported the document include giants like:
- Microsoft
- IBM
- HP
Reports show Microsoft also played a significant role in the development of the document.
Missing from the agreement are the following three countries:
- China
- Russia
- United States
How Will the Document Impact Cybercrime?
How anyone will be affected by the document is uncertain. Wired magazine claims the document “lacks teeth” as it doesn’t require governments or corporations to legally adhere to any specific principles.
Even among those who have signed on to the bill have reservations about some of the tenants included in the initial document. In one example, non-profit group Access Now specifically worries that the clause about “cyber criminality ”could eventually lead companies and governments to share data without a court order.
Still, proponents of the bill fear that countries who sit this one out may show a lack of diplomacy in cyberspace regulations as long as the current administrations are in power.
What Can Individuals Do?
The process to stave off criminal activity on the internet still has many miles to travel before an answer is found. Until a better solution presents itself, individuals should continue to work diligently to protect their private information.
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