As one of the engines of globalisation it has much to offer. But the rapid expansion of electronic commerce has thrown up some serious questions and has pushed governments and the private sector together in an attempt to understand this important market and steer its development.
Electronic commerce is nothing new in itself.
In fact, for funds transfer and electronic data interchange it has existed for many years. What has changed is the speed at which it expands, and the extent to which it has captured the imaginations of business, consumers and governments alike, as well as the media. Most probably yes. The World Wide Web emerged in the 1980s, followed by the widespread diffusion of interface technology, such as browser programmes, in the 1990s. These developments were underpinned by the availability of affordable communications infrastructure, including normal telephone lines.