Why 'Cyber Crime' Should Just Be Called 'Crime'

netzar writes "CAUSE executive director Neil Schwartzman, in a post on CircleID, urges governments and law enforcement to treat cyber crime as what it really is: 'crime': 'When someone is mugged, harassed, kidnapped or raped on a sidewalk, we don't call it "sidewalk crime" and call for new laws to regulate sidewalks. It is crime, and those who commit crimes are subject to the full force of the law. For too long, people have referred to spam in dismissive terms: just hit delete, some say, or let the filters take care of it. Others — most of us, in fact — refer to phishing, which is the first step in theft of real money from real people and institutions, as "cyber crime." It's time for that to stop... This isn't just email. This isn't a war. This isn't "cyber." This is crime.'"

Comments

Re:gray area?

[mangu]

If I had gone door to door pretending to be with your bank and requested any of your credit cards, you'd either be considered an idiot and/or I could be charged with some form of fraud.

In some places if you leave the keys in your car and it gets stolen you may be considered an accessory to the crime. It should be the same thing if your computer is not adequately protected.

Ignorance should be no excuse. If you are too lazy to learn how to use it properly, then you should not use a computer. People who let their computers become part of a criminal organization should be prosecuted as accessories.

Re:Ah, but there *is* "gun crime."

[timothy]

Agreed, heartily :)

Both "gun crime" and "knife crime" remind me a lot of the never-heard-before-2010 phrase "Homeland Security," which to me has an unpleasant mix of aw-shucks! and Heimat.

I keep waiting for the term "glass crime" to be used; are you aware of the handwringing over this in Scotland? They say "glassing" instead. (cite: http://www.theglaswegian.co.uk/glasgow-news/news/2010/05/06/horror-glass-attacks-cut-thanks-to-drive-for-safe-drinking-in-glasgow-102692-22237602/)

timothy