“We’re late,” says a Security Forces Commander. cyber crime. And this is not – only – a subjective perception of the political rush in terms of crime. onlineSpain reached the presidency of the Council of Europe. Home Affairs wants to take advantage of this to push for a European agreement that will make communication more accessible for police, prosecutors and judges. phone messaging And social networks.
EU security forces face challenges in their requests to find out through platforms what a criminal said to his victim or an accomplice… if those platforms are based outside of Europe. “We condemn these companies: ‘There is a lot of crime in your house but You don’t open me when I knock on your door‘” explains a senior executive from Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska’s team.
While not quoting them, the implication is directly giants like meta (Parent company of Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram based in California), alphabet (Google’s parent company, also located in California) or Telegram (Instant messenger of Russian origin and currently based in Dubai). And the complaint against the closed door that sums up the whole problem security perspectiveIt was the subject of the last JAI Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs held in Logroño on 20 and 21 July and will be held in Brussels at the end of September.
very serious crime
meanwhile, this On 25 August, a new restriction on social networks comes into effect on EU territory under the Digital Services Law, which will impose an obligation on major platforms to act against disinformation and explain why their algorithm recommends certain content to certain users.
But this is another war. Not what interior headlines are talking about now hybrid and cognitive warfare but pure and simple crime. Above all, committed sex offendersYes via the Internet.
encourage legal reformEuropean Interior Ministries show the darkest and dirtiest side of cybercrime: ‘grooming‘ (In the Spanish pedophilia hoax, an act performed by an adult to gain the trust of a minor and sexual assault on her). Sexual assault against boys and girls is on the rise. a “guess” made by the Council of Europe, 20% of minors on the continent encounter a sex offender on the Internet, according to the European Commissioner for the Interior, Ylva Johansson.
Eurocommissioner also shows another alarm light: by Swansea University (UK) since 2016 a cyber sex offender only takes 18 minutes on average in attracting the attention of a child chosen as the victim.
archive conversations
In the 2023 European Presidency program, in the section devoted to Home Affairs, the Spanish Government includes the following commitment: “The Presidency, (…) fight against online child sexual abuse“.
Internal Affairs reported in Logroño that Marlaska and her colleagues spoke of “a new European legal framework for the protection and access of electronic communication data.” The aim is to “guarantee fundamental rights”. provide legal and operational tools to police forces “Prosecuting crime within the framework of investigations in the fight against organized crime and serious cases such as online sexual harassment,” the minister said at a press conference after the JAI council.
“It is urgent to reach a balanced and effective agreement,” the home interior source insists, pointing to a technical reform of the platforms that may be required by law:If data is temporaryeven momentary and unreserved, police forces lack the knowledge to investigate and work on.”
And that’s the key to the discussion. “No one questions end-to-end encryption—don’t be afraid of WhatsApp control—he says. The point is, as with any crime, there are legal tools that allow for an investigation”.
refers to such situations. Amazon, “did not even respond” to the requirements of the police in Europe. “I can’t be opaque platforms before the courts,” he complains.
European Commissioner Johansson at Logroño described this: “So far the platforms have been cooperating. They do it because they want to and according to the laws of North America. It’s about doing it according to their own laws that Europe has given it.”
suspicion in the seats
Europe’s security wing, interior ministers are using ‘dressage’ out of common anger at the atrocities it has created, which is less morally objectionable crime. However No shortage of reluctance in the European Parliamentnor those who see the confidentiality of communications in jeopardy. “There is a deep-rooted sensibility in this Room. rights and privacy citizens”, admits the former Socialist Minister of Justice Juan Fernando Lopez AguilarChairman of the LIBE commission, the European Parliament’s civil liberties forum.
The Spanish Presidency of the Union supports the work of the Union. Top Level Group on Data AccessHe was born under the Swedish presidency. This group consists of police experts, lawyers, technology sector representatives, data protection agencies and the university.
His proposals are expected to be discussed this fall. There is a rush: the next presidency is coming in January, Belgium’s return is only with a quarterly event, as the European Parliament will start looking at the next European elections in April and no major legislative activity is expected. And then came the presidency of Hungary on July 24, which was skeptical of Europe.
López Aguilar justifies the police response: “The Home Office and the police have all the legal structure to carry out the interventions,” he says. When a new regulation is approved, it should be reviewed. because there were significant developments in technology at that time.”
red line
In general, the current structure of the European Parliament tends to limit police intervention: data retention by EU authorities, it should be neither haphazard, nor discretionary, nor cumulative, and time-limited.. These are the red lines.
The debate on security and freedom has been reflected in Turkey for 21 years. ePrivacy policy EU’s “Security Forces” complains about the dizzying development of technologies and that it takes time for a legal response to arrive – the Libe commission chairman admits – but admits that EU legislative procedures are complex. The EU does not work with a decree law Approved in 30 days, as in Spain”.
López Aguilar qualifies: “Look, criminal liability can never be explained in the abstract. Operators are obliged to appoint a representative in Europe, and obstruction of justice is a perfectly valid criminal principle.” In any case, he says, “security is also a right.”
A new struggle is coming between security and freedom in Europe. grand platform lobbying. He wanders the corridors of the “ürocámara”, where the police say they don’t open the door when they call. They emerged after the signing of the Lisbon Treaty in 2015 and the first European legal basis for data protection and have had no reason to leave since.
Source: Informacion
James Sean is a writer for “Social Bites”. He covers a wide range of topics, bringing the latest news and developments to his readers. With a keen sense of what’s important and a passion for writing, James delivers unique and insightful articles that keep his readers informed and engaged.