Fighting Internet Crime with Remote Searches

Most people will agree that controlling internet crime needs to be a priority. One of the means of stemming cyber crime may be unsettling:

“…In particular the strategy aims to tackle the trade in images of children being sexually abused. In a statement outlining the strategy the EU claimed “half of all internet crime involves the production, distribution and sale of child pornography”.

Forces will also take part in “remote searches” and patrol online to track down criminals. The EU said controls were in place to ensure that data protection laws were not breached as this information was gathered and shared.”

link: EU to search out cyber criminals

What does “remote searches” mean? How is that operationally defined? There are malware and spyware programs that will search out or “key” on trigger words. Does this mean that law enforcement plans to follow the spyware paradigm? It may be a serious breach of privacy to have “remote searches” conducted, no matter what the intent.

Catherine Forsythe