The current state and potential of criminal legislation in the field of combating crimes committed using information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet

Introduction: the article presents the author's vision of the current state and capacity of criminal legislation in countering crimes committed using information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet, gives the classification of socially dangerous acts, which includes this crime-forming or aggravating feature. Materials and Methods: the conducted research is based on universal and specific scientific methods. The sources of the study were scientific and legislative-interpretative materials in criminal law counteraction to crimes committed using information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet. Results: the authors express their scientific hypothesis of advisability of including an aggravating feature “use of information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet” in Art. 2051, 2052, 2812, part 11 of Art. 2821 and part 11 of Art. 2822 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The expediency of establishing an independent criminal law prohibition for the use of telecommunications networks for criminal purposes is determined. Discussion and Conclusions: the existence of the development of effective capacity-building of criminal legislation in countering crimes committed using telecommunication networks, including the Internet, was confirmed.