The Web can link computers from many countries with no regard for national or international boundaries. Advancements in telecommunications have allowed information to be shared worldwide. This sharing creates problems because of different intellectual property laws.
For example, users in the U.S. can access information in other sovereign countries that, if obtained in the U.S., would violate intellectual property rights. These foreign sites often provide the same information at a lower price, so the U.S. user would naturally be attracted to them.

There are a few well-known cases about crackers breaking into commercial and government computers. Because the crackers were working from Europe, U.S. authorities could monitor their activities, but could not apprehend them because their jurisdiction did not extend into Europe.
Eventually, the crackers were apprehended in their home countries (with cooperation from U.S. authorities), and stood trial on the grounds of conducting unwarranted and malicious espionage on foreign soil.