Executive Order 13133: Working Group on Unlawful Conduct on the Internet
President: Bill Clinton
Created an Attorney General-led working group to assess online crime laws, investigative needs and prevention while protecting privacy and civil liberties.
Status: Completed/expired.
Is Executive Order 13133 still in effect? No. Completed: the working group reported in March 2000; EO 13133 created no offense or investigative authority.
What does Executive Order 13133 do?
EO 13133 asked an interagency group to examine whether existing law adequately covered internet-enabled crime, whether investigators needed new tools or authority, and how education and industry leadership could reduce harm. It required a report within 120 days after the group’s first meeting. Justice released The Electronic Frontier in March 2000, concluding that technology-neutral enforcement, better capability and private-sector leadership should be pursued with attention to speech, privacy and commerce.
Before and after
Before the order
Federal agencies lacked this single review of how existing criminal law and investigative tools applied across internet offenses.
After the order
The report catalogued legal coverage and recommended coordinated, technology-neutral enforcement and prevention.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney General | Chair the working group and report | Completed |
| Member agencies | Assess laws, tools and education options | Completed |
| Private and public stakeholders | Provide input | Completed |
What happened next
EO 13133 created the working group.
Justice released the final report.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The order itself created no offense or investigative power. Any search, prosecution, regulation or later legislative change required separate constitutional and statutory authority.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — EO 13133 (opens in a new tab) Order text
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on October 2, 2026. How we research →