What is the UN Cybercrime Convention? A Simple Explanation of Why EFF Opposes Signing It!

I recently saw in the news that "the UN is creating a new convention to crack down on cybercrime," and it got me thinking💭

But apparently, EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), an organization that works to protect internet freedom and privacy, is speaking out saying, "This convention has problems, so governments shouldn't sign it!" 😳

Hmm, I wondered why they're so opposed, so I did a little research🧠

What is the "UN Cybercrime Convention" Anyway?

First, the Cybercrime Convention is something the UN is trying to create as rules for "countries around the world to cooperate and crack down on bad things on the internet!" ✨

For example, it aims to tackle things like hacking, online fraud, and malicious content like child pornography, but apparently the convention's content is quite broad and tries to enable cracking down on many different things💡

The Points EFF and Others Are Worried About

EFF, along with internet freedom protection groups worldwide, say this convention has major problems💭

The main reasons are like this👇

Privacy and freedom of expression could be at risk
They point out that the convention's rules are vague and there's a fear governments might excessively monitor internet content or restrict speech🥺
Weak human rights protection mechanisms
It seems there aren't proper rules to firmly protect internet freedom and human rights, creating a risk of misuse😮‍💨
Moving forward with technically outdated rules
Even though the internet changes at an incredibly fast pace, they say the convention's content hasn't kept up and could actually cause confusion🧩

Why Are Governments Trying to Sign It?

Many countries share the same desire to "reduce cybercrime," so international cooperation is necessary👍

But it's scary that if we don't carefully consider the balance between "how much to crack down on versus what to protect," freedom and privacy could be sacrificed😳

EFF and others are calling for more transparent discussion and a review of the convention that respects human rights💗

Summary: We Want to Decide the Internet's Future Together!

Honestly, I don't fully understand internet matters either, but I think these kinds of discussions are quite close-to-home problems💡

It would be unpleasant if the contents of your smartphone or your social media posts were monitored without you knowing, or if you couldn't speak freely, right?🌸

So, I thought that when EFF and their allies say "Governments, don't sign in a hurry!", it's because they're trying to properly protect our internet freedom🥺✨

If you're interested, let's explore these topics together more deeply🫶

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