Current legislation regarding the Internet has been slow and ineffective because of the charging technologies used to access illegal information. One of the latest acts included Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (Title 8, Section 1030). This gives the government the right in investigating intrusions to public switching networks, major computer networks, privacy violations, industrial espionage, pirated computer software and other crimes. In December of 1997 President Clinton signed another bill into law (HR 2265, PL 105-147) that imposes heavy criminal penalties for willful infringement of copyright materials by electronic or other means.

Internationally, HR 2281 & S 1121 are Administration bills that meet the World Intellec

Online criminal activity has been an increasing problem, allowing thieves to remain virtually anonymous while they try to steal secured, and sometimes not secured, secrets. Companies such as Online Security have made it big business to protect clients against any computer crime that exists . Online Security has successfully investigated Internet crimes involving: blackmail and extortion; counterfeiting; international fraud; product hijacking; e-mail tracing; website tracking and ownership analysis; stolen domain names; online stalking; malicious slander; the identity of short sellers posting false and defamatory information on bulletin boards; sexual harassment; physical threats; trademark violations; password trafficking; copyright piracy; tracing the origin of spam as well as developing a characteristics and profile database of intruders, hackers and criminals. Many companies discourage computer crimes through new software, but not all of the crimes can be curtailed by this solution alone.

People, governments and corporations have spied upon one another throughout history for many reasons. The first reasons that come to mind are to gain money and power. Information is a very desirable commodity depending upon the information obtained. " Information about money is probably worth more than the money." Knowledge gained by irrefutable means allows the spying party to have an advantage in some way over the spied upon party. Political spying gives states and governments valuable insight as to what other states and governments are thinking and doing. Spying can be the great equalizer between states. F

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Approximate Word count = 1085
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)