Internet and cybercrime

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material about the Internet and cybercrime. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
15.01.2013	Internet - protecting children
	This note looks at recent debate and developments on how best to protect children in the online world.
24.08.2012	Digital Economy Act 2010: Copyright
	The Digital Economy Act 2010 provides for measures to combat online infringement of copyright. Not all the measures have been, or will be, implemented. Ofcom has been consulting on an 'initial obligations code' which would require internet service providers (ISPs) to issue warnings to persistent infringers and enable ISPs to initiate legal action against them.
18.05.2012	Internet surveillance
	This note looks at the history of the two programmes, cites the justifications given by successive governments for what critics have dubbed a 'snooper's charter' and details some of the objections that have been raised against surveillance of this sort.
01.12.2011	Internet regulation
	The practicalities of blocking and filtering harmful material on the internet have generated interest in a range of contexts: the misuse of social media during the August 2011 riots, child sexual abuse images and copyright infringement.
18.10.2011	Cloud computing
	The cloud is a reference to the internet, and cloud computing means relocating computer resources and activities on to the internet. This note considers the potential for cloud computing, its applications and risks.

Research Papers

Date	Description
21.01.2011	UK Defence and Security Policy: A New Approach?
	Both the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review were published in October 2010, five months after the Government took office. This paper examines the main priorities and recommendations set out in each of those documents
08.12.1999	Electronic Communications Bill (Bill 4 1999/2000)
	The Electronic Communications Bill (revised edition). (Bill 4 of 1999/2000). House of Commons Library Research Paper 99/100.(Updates and replaces Research Paper 99/92).

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
09.03.2010	Protecting Europe against large-scale cyber-attacks.
	European Union Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
26.01.2010	Legislative scrutiny: Digital Economy Bill.
	Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords]
12.01.2010	Legislative scrutiny: Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill; Video Recordings Bill.
	Human Rights Joint Select Committee report [Commons and Lords]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
09.02.2012	SUCCESS OF SAFER INTERNET DAY
	That this House applauds the way that children, parents and grandparents were welcomed to Parliament for Safer Internet Day 2012, organised for the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, ...
26.01.2012	ANONYMITY ON THE INTERNET
	That this House is concerned at reports in the Wall Street Journal that Google may now be combining nearly all the information it has on its users, which could make it harder for them ...
05.12.2011	PROPOSED COMMONS TWITTER HASHTAG
	That this House notes that it is important to keep up with modern communication techniques; further notes that hon. Members are now allowed to tweet from the Chamber; believes that ...
14.11.2011	CYBER CRIME
	That this House notes that despite overwhelming numbers of UK businesses being affected by cyber crime, 40 per cent. of cyber crimes committed against businesses currently go unreported; ...
08.11.2011	EVANESCENCE, SCHILLINGS, SAM SMITH AND THE RULE OF LAW
	That this House notes that Schillings acting for Amy Lynn Lee Hartzler, the lead singer of the band Evanescence, and her manager Andrew Lurie of 110 Management threatened Sam Smith ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
24.05.2012	Crime and Courts Bill (HL Bill 4 of 2012-13)
	The Crime and Courts Bill would establish a new National Crime Agency to combat organised crime, and contains provisions for reforms of the courts system (including judicial appointments and to allow broadcasting of certain court proceedings) as well as provisions on immigration, drug driving and community sentencing. This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the Bill's second reading in the House of Lords.

POST Papers

Date	Description
17.12.2012	Machine to Machine Communication
	Machine to machine (M2M) communication will allow the connection of billions of 'smart' devices and enable new ways of living and working. This note examines the potential of M2M, the common infrastructure that underlies many applications and the technological barriers to implementation.
15.03.2012	Impacts of Video Games
	There is debate surrounding the impact of violent video games on behaviour.
22.09.2011	Cyber Security in the UK
	Cyber security refers to defences against electronic attacks launched via computer systems. This POSTnote looks at approaches to cyber security in the context of large-scale attacks, with a focus on national infrastructure.
01.01.2010	Counterfeit medicines, January 2010
	This POSTnote considers the extent of the global counterfeit medicine trade, its impact in the UK and the technologies and policy options available to combat it. It also examines the risks and benefits of online pharmacy, one of the main ways in which counterfeits are distributed.
01.01.2009	E-democracy, January 2009
	This POSTnote looks at recent UK e-democracy initiatives, and at challenges faced in their design and implementation. It examines debate over the purpose of eDemocracy and where its future lies.
01.12.2007	Next generation telecoms networks, December 2007
	Next generation telecoms networks, December 2007. POSTnote 07/296.