The Evolution of Internet Legal Regulation in Addressing Crime and Terrorism

Murdoch Watney
University of Johannesburg
South Africa
mwatney@uj.ac.za

Abstract

Internet regulation has evolved from self-regulation to the criminalization of conduct to state control of information available, accessed and submitted. Criticism has been leveled at the different forms of state control and the methods employed to enforce state control. After the terrorist attack on the USA on 11 September 2001, governments justify Internet state control as a law enforcement and national security tool against the abuse and misuse of the Internet for the commission of serious crimes, such as phishing, child pornography; terrorism and copyright infringement. Some Internet users and civil rights groups perceive state control as an abomination which results in an unjustifiable infringement of civil rights. Since countries worldwide are focusing attention on the control of information on the Internet, the debate in respect of state control and the consequences of state control is relevant on a global level as it impacts on all Internet-connected countries.

Keywords: legal regulation, legal evolution, Internet, Internet state control, crime, terrorism