UN approves its first treaty targeting cybercrime

U.N. member states on Thursday approved a treaty targeting cybercrime, the body's first such text, despite fierce opposition from human rights activists who have warned of potential surveillance dangers.

After three years of negotiations and a final two-week session in New York, members approved the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime by consensus, and it will now be submitted to the General Assembly for formal adoption.

"I consider the documents... adopted. Thank you very much, bravo to all!" Algerian diplomat Faouzia Boumaiza Mebarki, chairwoman of the treaty drafting committee, said to applause.

The committee was set up, despite U.S. and European opposition, following an initial move in 2017 by Russia.

The new treaty would enter into force once it has been ratified by 40 member nations and aims to "prevent and combat cybercrime more efficiently and effectively," notably regarding child sexual abuse imagery and money laundering.

Hailing a "landmark convention," South Africa's delegate said "the provisions of technical assistance and capacity building offer much needed support to countries with less developed cyber infrastructures."

But the treaty's detractors — an unusual alliance of human rights activists and big tech companies — denounce it as being far too broad in scope, claiming it could amount to a global "surveillance" treaty and be used for repression.

In particular, the text provides that a state may, in order to investigate any crime punishable by a minimum of four years' imprisonment under its domestic law, ask the authorities of another nation for any electronic evidence linked to the crime, and also request data from internet service providers.

Warning of an "unprecedented multilateral...