Computer Crime

Computer crime and criminal information law are relatively young phenomena. A first historical analysis indicates that each new development of computer technology was followed by a corresponding adaptation of crime as well as by legislative changes. A short overview - using the example of Germany - illustrates this adaptation of crime and information law to the new information technologies, it also indicates that this process started gradually at first, but then continued at an increasing pace:
- From the beginning of the 1950s computers were introduced in industry and administration to control routine processes. As late as 20 years after that time, the first cases of computer manipulation, computer sabotage and computer espionage became known. Only in 1986 did the German legislator react with the Second Act for the Prevention of Economic Crime.