Policy Work

From its foundation in 1998 to the end of 2001, FIPR focussed its research, policy development and lobbying on e-government and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, and also sought to develop initiatives in three key areas:

• Trust in E-commerce and E-government
• Intellectual property and the public domain
• International law and the Internet

After 9/11, three further themes became important:

• Surveillance and security
• Academic freedom
• Export controls

These are just some of the most pressing public policy issues raised by advances in information technology. The subject matter is legally and technically complex. It affects everyone, and decisions made in the next few years will be irreversible. But Government policy making is not always informed by a full appreciation of the consequences either for business or for the individual consumer and citizen. The foundation aims to raise the quality of public debate while there is still time to do so.