Current Law and Treaties

Due to the contemporary and important nature of cyber issues in the United States, current cyber laws are bound to change in the upcoming years. However, the laws in place right now are affecting (directly or indirectly) the personal and professional lives of all U.S. citizens. While the government does not force private sector companies to enhance their cybersecurity, there is discussion that such a law may be passed in the future. Also, increasing internet filtering, enforcing personal internet IDs and even "re-engineering" the internet are being debated amongst the government and policy makers right now. This resource provides a summary of the cyber law that has been enacted in the past. Since cybersecurity is a relatively current issue, there are not many current laws which address "cyber" topics. However, there are internet and communication laws still in effect from decades ago. This is not a comprehensive list of current internet laws, but provides an overview of the major legislation governing cyber issues. Also included are various treaties; Laws of Armed Conflict which stems from the Geneva Conventions and the Convention of Cybercrime. These are particularly relevant to cyberwar.

• Gina Bacon (University of Utah)