August 22, 2024 at 02:36AM
Cisco has expressed strong concerns about the United Nations’ first-ever cyber crime convention, calling it dangerously flawed and overly broad. According to Cisco, the convention, driven by Russia, could pose risks to basic human rights and the rule of law, and is not aligned with the values of free speech in liberal democracies. Cisco is advocating for the convention to be revised to address these issues.
Based on the meeting notes, the main points are as follows:
– Cisco has expressed concerns about the United Nations’ first-ever convention against cyber crime, arguing that it is flawed and should be revised before being put to a formal vote.
– The convention, which aims to enhance international cooperation, law enforcement efforts, technical assistance, and capacity-building relating to cyber crime, has faced criticism from various human rights groups and organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Electronic Frontier Foundation, and British human rights organization Article 19. They believe the convention’s broad language could stymie legitimate infosec research and pose risks to human rights and the rule of law.
– Cisco’s senior director for technology policy, Eric Wenger, supports these concerns and believes that the convention misaligns with the values of free speech in liberal democracies, and wants the document to be amended to address these issues.
– Despite the criticisms, the UN has expressed enthusiasm about the convention’s likely passage later this year, and the Biden administration reportedly believes the document strikes an appropriate balance between human rights and the need for international collaboration to combat cyber crime.
In summary, Cisco and various human rights organizations are concerned about the broad language and potential risks to human rights and free speech in the UN convention against cyber crime, while the UN and the Biden administration are more optimistic about its overall balance. Cisco is advocating for amendments to address these concerns.