Posted: 20th Feb, 2004 By: MarkJ
Industry regulator Ofcom has warned that, unless the Internet industry regulates itself better, then public and political opinion may force tighter regulation:
Speaking in Central London at the annual ISP Awards, or ISPAs, Richard Hooper warned of action on everything from improper content, spam and piracy to local-loop unbundling. "If you do not regulate yourselves," said Hooper, "then the danger is that the political and public opinion machines will come down the turnpike at you. Don't underestimate the power of these bodies."
As the new super-regulator, Ofcom oversees the UK's broadcasting and telecommunications sectors, and rolls up several agencies, including the Oftel, the Radiocommunications Authority, the Independent Television Commission, the Broadcasting Standards Commission and the Radio Authority.
Hooper also issued a thinly veiled warning to BT over the state of local-loop unbundling. "We will do our very best to ensure there is fair and effective competition in broadband retail and wholesale," he said, to a cheer from the audience, which comprised most of the UK's Internet industry: "We have not forgotten local-loop unbundling."Perhaps Ofcom should do something to regulate the industry more itself instead of warning that others might force them to do so. More @
ZDNet.