More on Web Regulation

Another politician, this time a Tory, pontificates on the need for yet more regulation:

Cyberspace does not lend itself well to censorship. But while policing every strand of the world wide web would be impossible, that does not mean it cannot be better regulated.

Better regulated. Now there’s a joke. By whom? How? And, ultimately, why?

There is something about the political mindset that when presented with a “problem” sees regulation as the solution. There is no need for regulation of the Internet. It is up to users to exercise their own common sense. Okay, not as common as is commonly supposed, but then the grand socialist experiment of the past four decades is partially to blame for that. That, however, is not my problem. Half-arsed politicians poking about trying to impose regulation whether “voluntary” or not is my problem.

I also believe that the internet industry should establish a self-regulating body. If the leading sites subscribe to an agreed set of standards, which can then be monitored and verified, then they will be able to reassure users, and parents in particular.

You see? not one jot about personal responsibility. No, we need regulatory bodies approved by politicians to make decisions for us about “inappropriate” content. The Tories, frankly are no better than Labour when it comes to arrant control freakery. A pox on all their houses.

One might, if one were to be less than charitable, point out that politicians are the last people to be lecturing the rest of us about standards of behaviour. One might…

H/T The Englishman.