Should we regulate the Internet

A special interest group from our School of Law has given evidence to a high-profile parliamentary inquiry looking into the regulation of the internet in the UK.

The Northumbria Internet and Society Research Group (NINSO) has submitted evidence to the House of Lords Communications Committee, to support their current inquiry into online regulation.

The Committee will decide if the way the internet is regulated in the UK - particularly around inappropriate content and protecting people when they’re online - needs to change; at the moment there’s no specific single body responsible for regulation.

Dr. Guido Noto La Diega from the School of Law leads the NINSO group. He said: “This is a hugely relevant area of inquiry and we were keen to sumbit our views. It’s a highly complex topic, and we’ve offered detailed responses to nine questions set by the committe, covering everything from legal liabilities and user standards to what happens if the UK leaves the EU. Our evidence will be taken into consideration alongside evidence from other influential bodies including the NSPCC and three of the UK’s largest Internet Service Providers; Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk.

“The recommendations of this inquiry could have a major impact on internet use in the UK and we’re keen to hear the outcome, which is expected towards the end of this year.”

The NINSO group brings together lawyers, economists, business scholars, social scientists, architects, computer scientists, engineers and students with a research interest at the intersection of internet and society.

It is an open group, which means that students at masters and post-graduate level are active members of it. It’s also open to colleagues from other universities as well as from industry and practice. The aim of the group is to use collaboration to improve the quality of research and boost bids for research funding.

Find out more about the NINSOgroup

Read the group’s evidence to the House of Lords Communications Committee