Future Challenges to Identity

How will changes in the next ten years affect notions of identity?’

This is the big question addressed by a new report today by the UK Department for Innovation, Business & Skills (BIS), which sets out set out to explore how changes in technology will affect our notions of identity.

The report identifies key challenges for effective policy-making and implementation in a rapidly changing, globalised, technology-rich, and densely networked society. Amongst other areas, it focuses on implications for crime prevention and criminal justice in a chapter called, ‘The Future Challenges of Identity Crime in the UK’ by Professor David Wall.

For more information, see: http://www.bis.gov.uk/foresight/our-work/policy-futures/identity/Copy%20of%20reports-documents and today’s introductory comment by the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21084945.

If anyone has research interests touching on identity and law (for example, from a different cultural perspective than the UK), please feel free to email me: amk1g10@soton.ac.uk. It will be great to share ideas!

Best wishes,
Alison


 

European Cybercrime Centre

Hello,

I'm a new member of your blog and a few others. I've just started a PhD in IT law (specially on legal issues surrounding digital identity) at Southampton. Thanks for letting me join!

Another one on cybercrime: today, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs  will present the European Cybercrime Centre to the media on 9 January 2013 after which the Centre will be officially inaugurated on 11 January 2013. In 2010, the European Council had tasked the Commission with verifying the feasibility of establishing a European Cybercrime Centre that would become Europe's focal point in the fight against cybercrime.

 

The establishment of the EC3 is a result of the Commission Communication, Tackling Crime in our Digital Age: Establishing a European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), which was adopted on 28 March 2012. This Communication stated that the fight against cybercrime, for which the main legal instrument is the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention, continues to be a top priority for the EU.

The Centre will develop a common standard for cybercrime reporting so that serious cybercrime can be reported to national law enforcement authorities in a uniform way; respond to queries from and train cybercrime investigators, prosecutors and judges as well as the private sector on specific technical and forensic issues; and:

 

"assume the collective voice of European cybercrime investigators, providing a platform to develop common positions of Union law enforcement authorities on key issues, for example on Internet governance structures or in building trusted networks with the private sector and non-governmental organisations, and providing the natural interface for international initiatives to curb cybercrime, such as Interpol's work in this domain".

For more details, see:

• European Commission: Press release, European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) opens on 11 January (IP/13/13) (9 January 2012).
• European Commission: Memo, Frequently asked questions: The European Cybercrime Center EC3 (MEMO/13/6) (9 January 2012).

Cyber Security

"The cyber threat is, like some other emerging threats, one which has the capacity to
evolve with almost unimaginable speed and with serious consequences for the
nation’s security. The Government needs to put in place – as it has not yet done –
mechanisms, people, education, skills, thinking and policies which take into account
both the opportunities and the vulnerabilities which cyber  presents. It is time the
Government approached this subject with vigour"

thus speaks the Defence Select Committee of the House of Commons. A PDF version of its report can be downloaded from this link. The report has received extensive publicity and you can find a BBC report here

Another Parliamentary Committee, the Home Appairs Select Committee is conducting an investigation into e-crime and you can find its ongoing work via this link