November 08, 2017

The French-American Foundation organized its third Transatlantic Forum meeting on November 8, 2017. The dinner discussion brought together 22 members of our Transatlantic Forum and Young Leaders communities. Guest speaker Seth D. DuCharme, Chief of the National Security & Cybercrime Section, US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of NY drew on experiences from his professional career to lead an interactive discussion on international cybercrime and how to navigate the laws of the web.

The meeting discussed cybercrime and the growing presence of the cyber world in international affairs. As the scope of the web expands and becomes more complicated to track, the laws that govern the exchange of information between individuals, organizations, and governments have had to accommodate. For example, the collection of user information off social media websites has led to controversies over who can access the information and how international law plays a role in managing it.[1]

He addressed the complexities that companies face in terms of organizational challenges, and the roots of common problems such as human impulsive behavior to click on links. His speech was enriched by the anecdotes he gave, including examples of click fraud, cyber weapons, and the illegal possession of information.

The meeting, which took place less than a month after the Foundation’s annual Cyber Security Conference in Washington, DC, reflected the French-American Foundation’s dedication to fostering a consistent dialogue around cyber security. The enthusiastic participation of the Forum demonstrated a commitment to advancing an understanding of the effects of cybercrime on both sides of the Atlantic.

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/07/technology/european-union-us-data-collection.html

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