ISPA, the voice of the Internet industry, is pleased that broadband and technology had a prominent place in the 2016 Queen’s Speech. The Digital Economy Bill contains a number of measures that will impact on ISPA members, and in response ISPA Chair James Blessing said:
“ISPA is pleased that the Government has put the digital economy front and centre of its upcoming legislative programme.
The Internet industry has invested significantly in making the UK ‘a world leader in digital provision and will continue to do so and so we support government action to remove barriers to rollout. We further support the principle of universal broadband, but there remain a number questions surrounding the USO that still need to be addressed, including funding and the impact on the market, so that the benefits of broadband can be felt as widely and effectively as possible.
We await further information on consumer measures, including automatic compensation, including how this will fit with the existing consumer redress framework.
Finally, ISPA notes the Government’s plan to legislate on its manifesto commitment on age verification for sites offering adult content. ISPA responded to the consultation and will now work with Government and members on this challenging and technically complex area.”