"The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts agree, is by accident.
That’s where we come in; we’re computer professionals. We cause accidents."
--Nathaniel Borenstein
“The New Frontier”
Computerization and advancements in technology have brought about a dramatic shift in the way people live. With the advent of the internet, the gap between cultures has greatly narrowed down. People from opposite continents could exchange information in a split second. What took days before can now be done in a click of a button. Access to information has never been easier.
The practicality of using the internet cannot be contested. Going on-line creates opportunities unavailable to those not connected to the net. There is an increasing trend for companies in putting up web pages and providing their products and services on-line. The internet is the new frontier. Businesses, both large and small, are racing to exploit the possibilities that the net could bring.
With the increasing number of transactions conducted on-line, the need to police and regulate the internet seems to emerge. Various unscrupulous individuals have used the internet as their medium for committing their dastardly deeds. The range and variety of internet crimes is astounding. From child pornography, to cyber theft, to propagation of “virus strains”, to pilferage of ATM accounts… The list is endless. Just as the possibilities for individual and company growth are boundless, so are the possibilities for propagation of cyber crime limitless.
There is an increasing need for legislating laws penalizing cyber crimes. To date, not all cyber crimes are punishable due to lack of implementing laws. Legislating cyber laws and their subsequent enforcement should be given priority due to the increasing role of the internet in our society. The duty of policing the internet should not be left to a single country alone but should be a concerted effort by all States considering the importance of the internet to today’s global economy.
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