Enhancing Legal Frameworks to Address Cybercrime in the Digital Age: A Critical Perspective

Abstract

Digital technology has progressed so fast that it delivers new possibilities, but also supports more sophisticated cybercrime. The present paper scrutinises the efficiency of the existing legal frameworks in working with cybercrime. It applies a qualitative research approach through doctrinal and comparative research. It looks into ratified instruments that address cybercrime, like the Budapest Convention and national laws of different countries, such as Pakistan's Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, to determine their sufficiency in targeting the global and multifaceted nature of cybercrime. Among the most significant issues faced hence identified by the study are the complexities of jurisdiction, the alarming rate of technological evolution that exceeded legal evolution, and tensions between internet security and human rights, especially in terms of privacy and freedom of expression. The research points to the gaps in the established legal framework and emphasises the changes using the comparative analysis of cases and case studies. The paper also suggests that there should be an increase in legislative efforts, law enforcement practices and systems, global collaboration, as well as collaborations between governments and businesses. This is also critical in ensuring that human rights are incorporated into the cybersecurity plan to catalyse security and personal liberties. The study also has practical policy implications that can be implemented by policymakers to close regulatory gaps and increase the agility of legal frameworks. The study can fix existing gaps in the literature, source of policymakers, legal practitioners and scholars with a broader comprehension of the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.