The UK House of Lords Select Committee on Communications has recently opened a Public Consultation on ‘The Regulation of the Internet’, with submissions being accepted until Friday 11 May. The Call for Evidence can be accessed here.

The nine questions posed are relatively broad in scope, including: whether there is a need to introduce specific regulation for the Internet, the legal liability of online platforms, responsibility for online community standards, measures for online safety, information on the use of personal data, and the transparency of business practices – such as the use of algorithms. The last question posed asks stakeholders for their views on what effect the UK leaving the European Union will have on the regulation of the Internet in the UK.

The aim of this Inquiry is to examine how the regulation of the Internet in the UK should be improved, including options of self-regulation and governance – and whether a new regulatory framework for the Internet is necessary – or general UK law is adequate. It follows on from the UK Government’s October 2017 Internet Safety Strategy green paper, which was underpinned by the principle ‘what is unacceptable off-line should be unacceptable online ‘. It also follows the Government’s Digital Charter introduced in January 2018.

In response to the current Inquiry, stakeholders are encouraged to focus on their areas of expertise and therefore do not have to answer every question. They are also permitted to address any additional relevant issues of their choosing not covered by the set questions, provided that they explain the significance of such issues, widening the potential ambit of this Inquiry. As with the standard House of Lords Inquiry process, stakeholders who submit written evidence may be invited to give oral evidence at Westminster – currently tabled between April and September 2018. Any stakeholder wishing to make a submission on this important debate should submit their written evidence online here by 11 May. The Covington Inside Tech Media blog team will post further updates on related developments of significance, in the UK, and across Europe, Asia and the US.

Tags: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Brexit, Internet, Internet of Things (IoT), Mobile devices, Regulation, technology, United Kingdom
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Photo of Kevin Coates Kevin Coates

Kevin Coates advises clients on strategic antitrust and other government investigation issues drawing on twenty years of public sector experience in the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission (“DG COMP”) and ten years of private sector experience as in-house counsel and in…

Kevin Coates advises clients on strategic antitrust and other government investigation issues drawing on twenty years of public sector experience in the Directorate-General for Competition of the European Commission (“DG COMP”) and ten years of private sector experience as in-house counsel and in private practice.

Kevin advises on all aspects of EU, UK and international competition law, including abuse of dominance, cartels and leniency, mergers and compliance, as well as related EU regulations such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA). He has extensive experience in technology, software and e-commerce sectors.

Kevin worked in the Directorate General for Competition (DG COMP) of the European Commission for twenty years, including seven years reporting directly to the Director General, and nearly ten years as a head of unit, latterly as Head of a Cartel Unit. While working for the Director General he advised on case, policy and communications issues, worked closely with the Competition Commissioner and their Cabinet, and was one of the team that produced the Guidance on Enforcement Priorities under Article 102.

Kevin also served as in-house Counsel at AOL Europe where he was responsible for antitrust and regulatory issues for AOL subsidiary companies in the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

He co-wrote the IP and the telecoms and media chapters in Faull & Nikpay’s “EC Law of Competition,” and is the author of “Competition Law and Regulation of Technology Markets” published by Oxford University Press in 2011. He was a Hauser Global Fellow at NYU School of Law in 2009/2010.

Drawing on his substantive antitrust experience in government and private practice, Kevin counsels clients on business-critical issues. He is known for combining a deep knowledge of the law with an ability to communicate clearly and convincingly.

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