Ofcom: New type of regulation needed for internet

Media regulator Ofcom says traditional methods of regulation used for broadcast media are inappropriate for the online age.

In the foreword to its submission to the Byron review published today, David Currie and Ed Richards express the belief that consumers should be informed about the "real concerns" affecting the growth of the "online world".

Their comments follow the government's announcement it will take forward Tanya Byron's recommendation that the government, industry, welfare organisations and other stakeholders take "shared responsibility" for safeguarding children.

"A new approach to content regulation is required: one which is built on a model of shared responsibility, which gives people the tools they need to take personal responsibility and which supports effective industry self-regulation," they write.

"The growing importance of online media literacy derives from this: media-literate parents and children, equipped to take on this personal responsibility, provide a significant means of protection."