Leader: An Ofcom thumbs-up to new media regulation

Telecoms and media watchdog Ofcom has published research into consumer protection for Brits on the internet.

In terms of what's been said, you might ask so what? It calls for good industry self-regulation and vigilance on the part of individual internet users.

In terms of the former, the UK is doing pretty well - the view of Ofcom, this publication and indeed others. Organisations such as the Internet Watch Foundation and Ispa could teach a thing or two to other countries.

When it comes to the internet, industry self-regulation and 'buyer beware' have so far been the usual modes of operation and fortunately, most of the time, worked out pretty well.

In terms of the latter, we should all be aware of 'buyer beware' - just as we have been for decades in the offline world.

So what is the sub-plot here? The twist is that while an Ofcom is necessary to police media such as TV, radio and telecoms - still - when it comes to the internet, industry self-regulation and 'buyer beware' have so far been the usual modes of operation and fortunately, most of the time, worked out pretty well.

We will continue to hear about the examples when those approaches let us down, as individual consumers or as wider societies.

There are, after all, certain areas where legislation does make sense - in the case of catching spammers, for instance. But there are others - such as making ISPs responsible for content they may host - where the wrong legislation could bring internet operations to a halt.

But for now, consider that when Ofcom was formed, by merging several regulators, it was thought the internet would be a big area for it to police. In fact, it is too big an area - certainly for any national body, almost certainly for most international bodies.

Fortunately - and here is where Ofcom must be relieved - rather than wait for politicians to push through knee-jerk, predictably poor legislation to crack a proverbial nut with a sledgehammer, those associated with the internet, as suppliers and end users, have taken measures themselves to make sure it still works.