Select Committee on Communications
Regulating in a digital world

2nd Report of Session 2017-19 - published 9 March 2019 - HL Paper 299

Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background

The law on the internet

Our inquiry

Box 1: Online platforms

Chapter 2: Principles for regulation

A principles-based approach

Parity

Accountability

Transparency

Openness

Privacy

Ethical design

Recognition of childhood

Respect for human rights and equality

Education and awareness-raising

Democratic accountability, proportionality and evidenced-based approach

Conclusion

Chapter 3: Ethical technology

Introduction

Data protection and privacy

Box 2: Selected list of rights under the General Data Protection Regulation

Data and the digital economy

Capturing attention

Table 1: Variable rewards: examples

Algorithmic curation

Box 3: Algorithms

Terms of service and information

Ethical by design

Chapter 4: Market concentration

Introduction

Table 2: Digital markets

Competition and digital markets

Network effects and market share

Cross-subsidisation and intermediation power

Mergers and takeovers

Price and consumer welfare

Competition law responses

Other consequences of concentration

Data rights, portability and interoperability

Chapter 5: Online platforms

Table 3: Categories of online content

Illegal content

Box 4: The e-Commerce Directive: articles 12–14

Box 5: The e-Commerce Directive: article 15

Harmful and anti-social content

A duty of care

Box 6: Office of the e-Safety Commissioner of Australia

Moderation processes

Box 7: The Ruggie principles: principle 31

Chapter 6: The Digital Authority

Challenges

Overarching regulation

Summary of conclusions and recommendations

Appendix 1: List of Members and declarations of interest

Appendix 2: List of witnesses

Appendix 3: Call for evidence

Appendix 4: Existing regulators





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