Over the weekend, the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime is set to be signed in the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, by around 60 countries. After five years of negotiation, the treaty was adopted by the General Assembly in December of 2024 and establishes “the first universal framework investigating and prosecuting offences committed online—from ransomware and financial fraud to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.” Additionally, the signing ceremony was hosted in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and included officials and diplomats from different regions. The cybercrime convention is expected to take effect after its ratification by 40 different nations.
“It is a testament to the continued power of multilateralism to deliver solutions. And it is a vow that no country, no matter their level of development, will be left defenceless against cybercrime,” said the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
The convention also makes history as the first treaty “to recognise the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images as an offence,” making it a significant win for those who have experienced online abuse.
However, major social justice groups and tech companies have criticized this convention due to concerns of possible human rights abuse. Considering the fact that the signing of this treaty will take place in Vietnam, a country that has been flagged for suppressing online dissent of its citizens, many organizations condemn the convention. Organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Access Now signed a letter that argues that the convention allows countries to establish broad electronic surveillance powers and justify cyber authoritarianism. The Cybersecurity Tech Accord, which includes META and Microsoft, has dubbed the UN treaty a “surveillance treaty” and brings up concerns over the future criminalization of hackers who are meant to test systems for vulnerabilities.