Category Archives: Internet governance

The shame continues

Posted on February 8, 2021 by John Carr

Last Thursday afternoon the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament met. The proceedings are viewable. The meeting was scheduled to take two hours.  It had several items to discuss. The earlier ones overran. When the question of the derogation and … Continue reading →

Posted in Child abuse images, Consent, Facebook, Google, Internet governance, Microsoft, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Regrets? I’ve had a few….

Posted on January 24, 2021 by John Carr

Last week (20th January) the UK Parliament’s Home Affairs Select Committee interviewed representatives of Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Google, Snap and Tik Tok. The Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee is Yvette Cooper, an intellectual heavyweight of the first water. … Continue reading →

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Adding insult to irony

Posted on January 20, 2021 by John Carr

If, like me, you were brought up a Catholic or in another Christian denomination, likely you will know 6th January is celebrated by the faithful as the “Feast of the Epiphany.“ Well, in a secular sense, 6th January 2021 definitely … Continue reading →

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Absurdities and atrocities

Posted on January 12, 2021 by John Carr

Voltaire famously said “Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” History is littered with examples of this and last week in the USA we saw the same thing played out again. Lies and travelling trousers … Continue reading →

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We need to treat Treaties seriously

Posted on January 5, 2021 by John Carr

The North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) was a free trade agreement between the USA, Canada and Mexico. It became operative in 1994, although free trade between two of the three, Canada and the USA, had existed since 1989. In … Continue reading →

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The questions to be asked in Brussels

Posted on December 3, 2020 by John Carr

Crunch time approaches in Brussels. Members of the LIBE Committee and later the plenary need to focus on the following questions: When the GDPR was making its way through the European Instistitions do you think the co-legislators expressly intended to … Continue reading →

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Privacy warriors arrive late

Posted on November 20, 2020 by John Carr

Governments and legislators stood by and watched for years while the internet exploded, bringing in its wake huge benefits but also several downsides, particularly for children. “Permissionless Innovation” was the watchword. We even created special legal immunities to help things … Continue reading →

Posted in Child abuse images, Default settings, Internet governance, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Nuremberg and the internet

Posted on November 2, 2020 by John Carr

Many people who read “East West Street” by Philippe Sands QC, may have been surprised to learn it was the horrors of the Second World War which propelled the international community – as represented by politicians, mainly elected ones – … Continue reading →

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Children’s groups speak out

Posted on September 9, 2020 by John Carr

The EU held a consultation on the upcoming Digital Services Act. It closed yesterday. Here is a link to the document I submitted with the support of one or more children’s groups from 15 Member States. What with the holiday … Continue reading →

Posted in Age verification, Child abuse images, Consent, Default settings, E-commerce, Internet governance, Pornography, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation | Leave a comment

The EU’s Digital Services Act

Posted on August 26, 2020 by John Carr

On 8th September an EU consultation closes. It concerns a proposed new Digital Services Act (DSA). The Act will provide a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change the internet’s ground rules. Children’s advocates need to get busy. Reforming the e-Commerce Directive In … Continue reading →

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