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Laws Needed to Tighten Security in Cyberspace

17 June 2004

cyberspace
"technological advances have an impact on almost every aspect of society, posing challenges in legislation and security."
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Florence Mugasha has called for new laws to keep up with developments in information technology that impact on the conduct of business, the combating of crime and the security of personal data.

Speaking ahead of her attendance at the Law and Technology Workshop for the Asia Region in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 21 to 25 June 2004, Mrs Mugasha stressed the necessity to provide security for eCommerce (electronic commerce) and to protect the individuals' privacy as information on them can be obtained through computer databases. She said technological advances have an impact on almost every aspect of society, posing challenges in legislation and security.

"This workshop serves as a catalyst in helping member countries build their capacities for eGovernance. Discussions on eEvidence, eTransactions, privacy, freedom of information and computer-related crimes will provide a platform for the sharing of input and experiences that will contribute to the harmonisation of laws within the region," stated the Deputy Secretary-General.

"This will assist member states towards building cyberlaw capacity for eGovernance. We must give credit to Commonwealth Heads of Government who took the initiative to mandate the Commonwealth Secretariat to undertake work in the area of technology."

The workshop is a collaboration between the Secretariat and the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka. It is the second in a series of regional workshops planned with the objective of promoting Commonwealth model laws for adoption or adaptation by member countries. The first workshop took place in November 2003 in Kingston, Jamaica, following development of the Commonwealth legal frameworks by the Secretariat's Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division and adoption as Commonwealth Model Laws by law ministers in 2002.

This workshop contributes to the Commonwealth Action Programme for the Digital Divide, which the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2002 recommended as part of the roadmap for member countries to meet the new role played by information and communications technologies in people-centred development.

Mrs Mugasha said jurisdiction in cyberspace is another issue of interest in the development of national and international legislation, taking into account the different levels of development of member states. This will impact on eGovernance; government-to-government collaboration; government-citizen consultations and delivery of public services; and government-business transactions. The Deputy Secretary-General pointed out that business-to-business and business-to-customer transactions will also benefit from improved legislation that will safeguard and promote eCommerce.

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