As an unprecedented amount of private information is revealed via online social networks by ordinary citizens, including youngsters, legislators are increasingly called upon to ensure the safeguarding of citizens' privacy and data protection from commercial and non-commercial actors, as well as from criminal organizations. The session will discuss the impact of the use of social media on users’ privacy and the response options available to governing institutions.

The increasing number of cyber-attacks on national infrastructure, from internal and external sources, is becoming a priority concern for governments. This session will focus on the parliament’s oversight role in ensuring that the executive is appropriately building its capacity to respond to these threats and exercise it effectively.

The use of the Internet greatly increases the risks that children face from predators. This session will examine some of the special provisions that parliaments may adopt to protect children online based on the work carried out at the international level by the ITU and other international organizations.

By adopting appropriate legal frameworks for prosecuting cybercrimes and overseeing their implementation by governments and law-enforcement agencies, parliaments have an important role to play in curbing the rising tide of cyber-criminality. The session will focus on the growing concern of businesses and citizens towards new and emerging forms of cybercrime and the legal measures to fight them.

The Internet has become a potent means of political expression and civic action, as well as a vehicle for sharing users’ generated content, real-time news and information. In some cases, however, these exchanges may pose a threat to the security of national interest or businesses. The session will focus on the responsibility of the legislators in ensuring that the fundamental rights of the citizens are preserved while providing businesses and governments with appropriate means to respond to the growing security challenges.

The absence of an internationally-agreed legal framework hampers the fight against cybercrime. This session will examine the existing mechanisms for international coordination on cyber-security and discuss options for inter-parliamentary cooperation on and support to the cyber-security agenda.

Law-making in specialized parliamentary committees, oversight over regulatory bodies and scrutiny on governmental actions, targeted hearings and investigations, and representations of citizens and businesses concerns are some of the options available to parliaments to enhance cyber-security. The session will review a few practices carried out by legislatures around the world to respond to the cyber-security challenges and their effectiveness.

Liste préliminaire des participants

Lista provisional de las delegaciones

Provisional list of Delegations

Dates et lieu

Lugar y fecha

Contributions des participants

Contribuciónes de los participantes