CYBER-CRIME: G-8 CALLS FOR CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESS.

• Position: Government Activity

The G-8 Conference did not take any concrete decisions and the final communique does not commit industry representatives, according to the organisers, who nevertheless welcome the consensus that emerged and call for the dialogue begun in Paris to be pursued. According to the final communique, the G8 States are convinced that new or swifter solutions should be developed and that governments and industry must work together to this end. All agree on this point though differences are apparent between public authorities and industry, the latter expressing a willingness to co-operate on a voluntary basis, but generally rejecting new regulations that would cast them in the role of police auxiliaries and risk alarming web users over the length of time during which personal data is held.David Aucsmith of Intel, speaking on behalf of American industry, expressed support for a certain level of co-operation between States and business. He indicated that the best technologies available can and must be used, reiterating industry's repeated call in debates behind closed doors that the first defence against cyber-criminals should consist of applying and developing a panoply of existing technological solutions. Industry urged public authorities to make up their delay in implementing these techniques and expressed a readiness to help in training police forces and...