The Future of Self-Regulation Differing national and international laws regarding consumer privacy, widely varying import and export policies, a disparate tax structure and questions about interpretation of regulations pose significant roadblocks to continued growth of the digital economy. Clearly there is an important role for policy, as there has always been, and always will be.
Industry has a crucial role, too.
Much attention has been focused in recent years over the prospects of cooperative approaches that allow industry and government to work together to develop a successful governance structure for the Internet. There are three key components to successful high-tech public policy. First, it is imperative that any new regulations respect both the potential growth and limitations of technology. Technology cannot solve every policy challenge, but technology can be used to help achieve a societal objective. Digital signatures, for example, will help facilitate online transactions and encourage more confidence and trust in the marketplace, but they cannot solely resolve consumer concerns about security online.