Consumer protection on the internet
In June, Ofcom published research which reveals the importance of effective industry self-regulation and consumer empowerment in addressing consumer protection issues on the internet. The report examines the broad range of processes used in the UK and other countries to address a number of consumer protection issues online, including illegal internet content.
The internet has rapidly become an essential part of our professional and personal lives. 59% of all UK adults now have access to the internet at home, with 68% of these connected to high speed, content-rich services via broadband. The internet connects a global audience to each other and to products, goods and services all over the world.
Ofcom explains, however, that consumers expect to be protected from fraud and other forms of harm whether online or not. Inappropriate content should be prevented from reaching children and illegal content, of which child abuse images are an obvious example, should be removed from view.
Ofcom’s research is intended to inform the current debate about the most appropriate approach to protecting consumers online. Key observations in the report include:
- successful consumer protection on the internet has generally involved a much higher degree of co- and self-regulation than has been the case for other media;
- effective consumer protection requires more significant levels of international cooperation than currently exist; and
- the internet places a much greater responsibility than before on consumers to take action to protect themselves.
Research highlights
There is a significant amount of general consumer and child protection legislation that applies equally online and new legislation has been introduced to deal with specific issues raised by the internet.
Additionally, a number of industry self-regulatory mechanisms have been established:
- TrustUK is a quality seal system identifying vendors that have signed a code of conduct in relation to e-commerce;
- the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) requires members to comply with data protection rules and sign up to the TrustUK seal programme;
- the Internet Watch Foundation takes reports on, traces and works to combat images of child abuse as well as criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content; and
- the Internet Crime Forum encourages cooperation between Internet Service Providers and law enforcement agencies in the UK in relation to malicious computer activity.
However, the internet’s open nature presents challenges as well as benefits:
- many consumers are wary of undertaking transactions online; only 28% of internet users are willing to disclose credit card information;
- theft of personal information through phishing (tricking the consumer into sending sensitive information to a fraudulent organisation or individual) and pharming (tricking the user’s web browser into accessing a fraudulent website) are becoming increasingly common; and
- unilateral national level approaches to blocking or removing illegal content are of limited effectiveness without international cooperation.
Click here to see the Online Protection survey in full.
This follows a large body of research by Ofcom to assess the extent of adult media literacy in the UK. Ofcom defines media literacy as the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts.
A total of 3,244 respondents were interviewed for the research across the UK. The research also includes detailed work into internet literacy.
Click here for the full Media Literacy report can be found on the Ofcom website.
Page Created: Tue, July 11th, 2006
Page Modified: Tue, July 11th, 2006
