Cybercrime Law in France
France was an early mover on computer crime with the 1988 “loi Godfrain,” now codified in the Penal Code.
Key laws
- Penal Code, articles 323-1 to 323-7 — offences against automated data-processing systems: unauthorized access and staying in a system, hindering or distorting its operation, and fraudulently introducing or altering data. Later amendments added penalties for tools and organized-group offences.
- GDPR, enforced domestically by the CNIL (Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés), governs personal-data protection.
Enforcement
Specialized units within the Police nationale and Gendarmerie investigate cybercrime; France is a party to the Budapest Convention.
Plain-language overview, not legal advice. Laws change — verify the current Penal Code text for any specific question.