UKNM: UK is a leader in e-commerce

[Giles Turnbull]

... or then again, perhaps it isn't. Here's today's story, which conflicts

somewhat with the Tesco/BT one that started this thread:


> GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF E-COMMERCE DISASTER

> 

> A high-level report on the Government's progress on e-commerce 

> legislation dubbed it a disastrous failure today.

> 

> The report, published this morning by the Trade and Industry Select 

> Committee, closely examined the proposals for an E-Commerce Bill, and 

> surrounding issues.

> 

> The Select Committee, chaired by Labour MP Martin O'Neill, said that 

> some of the DTI proposals were ``not fit to be written into law'' and 

> would be ``a damaging and embarrassing failure.''

> 

> On the subject of key escrow, which would provide security services 

> with a back-door to confidential communications, the report said: ``We 

> can see no benefits arising from Government promotion of key escrow 

> or key recovery technology.''

> 

> It concludes that the UK's reputation ``for electronic commerce is now 

> severely damaged''.

> 

> Caspar Bowden, of the independent Foundation for Information Policy 

> Research (FIPR), described the report as ``a relentless castigation of 

> squandered opportunities, loss of political control, and 

> unaccountable policy failures in the face of near unanimous 

> opposition''.

> 

> He added: ``The Government should extend the remit of the Cabinet 

> Office E-Commerce Unit beyond July, and create a high-level 

> technically trained staff to co-ordinate implementation of e-commerce 

> policy across departments.''

> 

> 

More to come later on.


Giles


---

Giles Turnbull, Technology Editor, Press Association

t: +44 171 963 7112  e: gilest@pa.press.net

http://www.pa.press.net or http://gilest.org 

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