International legal framework needed for cyber space to deal with cyber crime across the globe

New Delhi, Aug 29: In the absence of any international legal framework for cyber space, it has become difficult to deal with cyber crime not only in India but across the world. A collaborative efforts at the global level seems to be the need of the hour to accelerate the process of evolving such a mechanism and establishing comprehensive measures to deal with cyber crimes.

Many governments are working in this regard by organising debate and deliberations to outline a framework on cyber laws in the days to come. National Cyber Security Coordinator at Prime Minister's Office Gulshan Rai said while speaking at Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) that there was a need to create a universal model of cyber governance, based on uniform laws and privacy framework.

IDSA organised a conference on 'Digital Space and Cyber Space: Maximizing Benefits, Minimizing Risks, Unleashing Creativity', along with the Institute for Policy, Advocacy, and Governance (IPAG), Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was a two-day conference that concluded on August 29, 2018.

Rai further suggested that the heterogeneity of systems dealing with various aspects of cyber threats have made it difficult for the stakeholders to formulate universally accepted legal framework. He called for more collaborative efforts at the global arena to accelerate the process of evolving such a mechanism and establishing comprehensive measures to deal with cyber threats.

The unique character of free-internet, lack of accountability of ICT companies, heterogeneity and lack of transparency are making things more difficult for the cyber world. Rai said that because of these features and despite basic protection in place data is vulnerable. So much so that cyber space is being used as weapon in recent times calling for more accountability on the part of ICT companies whose current licensing models essentially absolve them of all liability.

Data localisation, data ownership and data sovereignty are few of the emerging trends. He also acknowledged that there has been a tremendous growth in the cyber sphere in the past one-and-half decade. The PMO official suggested that it has also created disparities between countries on how internet is utilised. As a result, even countries like India that were in favour of utilising cyberspace for global goods, are in a minority as more and more countries are putting their individual interests first, leading to the inevitable fragmentation of cyberspace.