ISPA Response to Select Committee Report into Harmful Content

 

ISPA Response to Select Committee Report into Harmful Content

31^st July 2008

 

The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA ) – the ’s leading Internet trade association – provided written and oral evidence to the Committee and welcomes many of the findings of this report.

 

ISPA is pleased that the report acknowledges the extensive work of industry to date in promoting safe and responsible use of online services.

 

The committee makes a number of welcome recommendations, in particular:

 

• The lack of clarity surrounding some criminal offences, such as assisting suicide. This was also highlighted in the Byron Review and ISPA members welcome the Committee’s recommendation that the Ministry of Justice works with industry to achieve greater clarity in this and other offences.

 

• The risk of ISPs incurring liability through their efforts to protect users. ISPA welcomes the Committee’s call for greater clarity in the legal framework. This is an area that would benefit from a coordinated and constructive dialogue involving industry and representatives from across Government departments to explore how the legal framework could be strengthened.

 

ISPA welcomes recommendations on more challenging areas of policy where discussions are ongoing:

 

• ISPA notes that the Committee calls for greater consistency among providers’ practices. The Home Office Task Force guidance on social networking was published in April. This good practice is guiding providers as they develop and improve their services and much of the good practice is in place today. Government has committed to deliver the recommendations of the Byron Review and there are also other industry-led initiatives underway in areas mentioned in the Committee’s report. ISPA urges caution in expanding this work programme in ways which could divert resources away from agreed priorities and duplicate effort.

 

• ISPA welcomes the Committee’s praise for the progression of industry towards consensus on the blocking of access to images of child abuse. ISPA played a central role in overcoming a range of complex and significant hurdles to reach this point and continues to be involved in discussions on this issue. There are additional challenges associated with widening blocking beyond child abuse images. ISPA believes this is an area that would benefit from Government leadership and coordination to promote wider public debate and carry out a full impact assessment.

 

• ISPA members have been involved in a long dialogue about providing children with an ability to report directly to the police from online spaces. There remain many outstanding questions particularly about the scalability of report abuse buttons. If Government is minded to explore this further, it will be an important first step to resolve these issues and ensure that users can get a timely response to their reports.

 

Since its creation in 1995 ISPA members have worked hard to create a safer Internet through self-regulation, investing in technological advancements and educating consumers. ISPA welcomes the report’s recognition that Internet safety is a shared responsibility involving the Internet industry, the Government, end users and other stakeholders.

 

ISPA Secretary-General Nicholas Lansman said, “We are pleased that the Committee has recognised much of the hard work of ISPA members in this area. The success of the IWF has been phenomenal, and it is important that the Internet industry strives to address new challenges.”

 

“As an Association, we have been an active member of the Home Office Task Force, have recently accepted an invitation to join the UKCCIS and remain fully committed to Internet Safety. The Internet industry, with ISPA at the forefront, has an excellent record of self-regulation and I look forward to working with industry, Government and end users to address the challenges identified in this report.”

 

- Ends -

 

About the Internet Services Providers’ Association:

 

The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA ) was established in 1995 as a trade association to represent providers of Internet services in the . ISPA promotes competition, self-regulation and the development of the Internet industry. For a list of members or other information about ISPA, please consult the website: www.ispa.org.uk

 

The views expressed in this release are those of the Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA ) and do not necessarily reflect the corporate policies of the individual companies that are members of the Association or other organisations that may be mentioned in the release.

For further editorial information please contact the ISPA Press Office (020 7340 4535)