§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what representations he has received about the possible regulation of material available on the Internet; [41815]
(2) what investigations his Department has made in the practicality of the regulation of material available on the Internet. [41816]
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 6 November 1995]: Over the last few months, I have received a number of representations about the nature of material on the Internet. These have involved indecent, obscene and 896W racially inflammatory material and that which could lead to terrorist activity. In addition, there have also been representations about the possible access of young children to some of this material.
In general, the Internet is already subject to the same laws as apply to other media. However my officials, along with those of other Departments, are considering the practicality of, and the case for, any more specific regulation. We have also been interested in the proposals from the US for specific self-regulation in relation to the Internet, both by providers of Internet services and by schools and parents. On obscenity, my Department is participating in the interdepartmental group on the subject which is chaired by the Home Office.
Increasingly, servers such as BT are offering to filter out material supplied to schools and other similar users. We are co-operating in evaluating such action.
Ultimately, the enormous benefits of Internet and its international character make legal remedies against abuse by a minority difficult.