Westminster eForum

This conference focuses on the next steps for the regulation of online gambling in the UK - looking in particular at:

• Latest thinking on protecting vulnerable groups;
• Advertising regulation; and
• Maintaining sustainable sector growth.

Taking place following the launch of the Gambling Commission’s new three-year National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms - the conference will assess progress so far, the impact on individuals and the gambling sector, and the way forward for its implementation.

The agenda and keynote speakers

Keynote contributions:

• National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms - next steps for implementation - with Tim Miller, Executive Director, Gambling Commission;
• Protecting young people and vulnerable groups from irresponsible advertising - with Guy Parker, Chief Executive, Advertising Standards Authority;
• Evidence-based understanding of the social and mental health impacts of problem gambling - with Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Founder and Director, National Problem Gambling Clinic and Spokesperson, Behavioural Addictions and Problem Gambling, Royal College of Psychiatrists; and
• Prospects for the retail gambling sector - innovation, responsibility, and addressing the challenges of sustaining the industry’s high street presence.

Panel sessions:

• Developing a collaborative public health approach to reducing gambling-related harm - with:
  
  • Sarah Hanratty, Chief Executive, Senet Group;
  • Dr Trudy Smit Quosai, Chief Executive Officer, Gambling Research Exchange (GREO);
  • Matt Zarb-Cousin, Co-Founder and Director, Public Affairs, Gamban; and
  • Professor Sian M Griffiths, Emeritus Professor, the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
• The future for online and mobile gambling regulation - age verification, competitiveness, and ensuring a safer gambling environment for consumers - with:
  
  • Lauren Iannarone, Director, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Playtech;
  • Adam Rivers, Director, Economics, KPMG; and
  • Wes Himes, Interim Chief Executive, Betting and Gaming Council.

The chairs are Richard Graham MP and Rt Hon the Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top, House of Lords Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry Select Committee.

Engagement with policy officials at this conference

With the new government beginning its work, this Westminster eForum conference has attracted strong interest from policymakers. It will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with officials who have reserved places representing: BEIS; Cabinet Office; Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation; CMA; DCMS; Department for Communities; DHSC; DIT; Government Legal Department and Ofcom.

This conference discussed UK drones policy, the future regulatory system, and opportunities for commercial application of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the UK.

Taking place in the context of the publication of the draft Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill, discussion focused on current and future regulatory developments affecting commercial and civil drone operations in the UK.

The conference provided an opportunity to examine what more is needed in terms of technical solutions and enforcement powers to avoid further disruption from rogue use of drones, such as those seen at UK airports in the preceding year - including airspace restrictions, detection and counter-drone technologies.

It followed the adoption of EU rules on drone operations earlier in the year, and the CAA’s recent publication of plans for their implementation in the UK within the next year.

The conference also presented an opportunity to assess the implications of the new mandatory Drone Registration and Education Scheme - which came into effect on 30th November 2019 and requires UK drone pilots to register their details with the CAA, pass an online test, and pay an annual fee.

There was also discussion on the government’s response to the Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK consultation, which set out:

• The case for tighter controls around drone use;
• Plans to develop policy related to the flight information notification system (fins); and
• An expansion of geo-fencing so that inbuilt drone technology can restrict entry into no-fly zones.

Following the publication of the Science and Technology Select Committee’s report on Commercial and recreational drone use in the UK, further sessions considered the evolving landscape in terms of regulation, including the compliance challenges facing drone users in the UK, as well as questions around airspace management and liability.

Those attending also assessed the potential for wider commercial and public sector drone use.

Discussion took place on the latest developments in use cases including the management, surveying and maintenance of infrastructure assets, supporting the work of the emergency services, drone utilisation in the construction and agriculture sectors, and wider emerging applications.

Delegates considered what more is needed to support the growth of the sector and to drive continued innovation, in order to ensure the UK is positioned as a global leader in this field.

Areas for discussion included what developments may be required to the regulatory framework for unmanned aircraft system operations if fully-autonomous and BVLOS flying are to be enabled on a routine basis.

The seminar began by addressing industry responsibility, highlighting the focus on industry responsibility in the Online Harms White Paper - including the proposed legal duty of care for online companies towards its users. This raised questions of what duties and liability should fall on social media platforms and tech companies.

It follows the Science and Technology Committee’s report in 2019 on the mental health impacts of social media - which found that social media exacerbated online harms including negative body image and cyberbullying - and reported evidence of social media platforms being used as a marketplace for the illegal sale of drugs - particularly among young people.

As the government looks to make tech companies more accountable, delegates heard directly from industry experts on what more can be done to protect children online.

The seminar also assessed regulation and media literacy, bringing out the latest thinking on the future of online regulation with respect to children.

Discussion also revolved around the effectiveness of current public and private sector initiatives aimed at encouraging children to think more critically online.

Delegates also had the opportunity to consider areas for improvement - with the white paper announcing plans to develop a new online media literacy strategy.

Additionally, the seminar examined privacy and data protection, measuring the progress that has been made towards protecting children’s privacy online and what further support might be needed.

Discussion targeted the implication of increased protections of user privacy on the ability of industry and investigators to identify and intercept online communications which could harm children’s online safety. The ICO’s Age Appropriate Design Code was particularly prevalent within this discussion. 

Finally, the seminar scrutinized age verification and freedom of expression legislation. Part 3 of the UK’s Digital Economy Act - which includes provisions for age-verification on porn sites - will not go ahead, according to the government announcement, and instead the objective of preventing adult content from being easily accessed online will be delivered through the regulatory framework proposed in the Online Harms White Paper.

Delegates also considered the implications this has for the implementation of the Design Code, and assessed the feasibility and workability of age-verification technology in future policy and regulatory design.

Discussion also explored issues of how to define what is harmful, especially when the content is not illegal, as well as enforceability issues and whose responsibility this should be - and concerns about age verification technology, with restriction of access to information potentially stifling freedom of expression.

This conference examined the future for digital payment services in the UK - with discussion on regulation, innovation and the implementation of the Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2).

Discussion focused on the impact of regulatory changes on the sector.

It was informed by:

• The Future of Finance Report commissioned by the Bank of England - which includes recommendations designed to shape the payments system of the future, including allowing open access to a broader range of payment providers who operate across borders; and
• Publication of the FCA’s general standards and communication rules for the payment services and e-money sectors.

Following the FCA’s announcement of a phased introduction of Strong Customer Authentication over 18 months, sessions also provided an opportunity to assess the challenges and opportunities arising from PSD2 implementation.

The conference took place in the context of rapid growth in financial technology - including Open Banking and contactless mobile payments.

Delegates also examined key priorities for promoting continued innovation and competition in the sector, while at the same time ensuring that new technological developments do not compromise the security of personal and financial information.

Discussion also took place on the impact of third party payment services providers (TPPs) such as payment initiation services providers (PISPs) - who are able to initiate payments on behalf of customers - and what more needs to be done to make sure systems work for the benefit of the consumer. Sessions on the agenda included case studies on services enabling vulnerable consumers to better manage their money and reduce debt.

This seminar assessed priorities for the UK in maintaining its capacity to deal with the latest developments in cyber security.

It took place in the context of the Government’s draft National Cyber Security Skills Strategy, and with the publication of the NCSC’s Active Cyber Defence Report for 2019, which summarised the work taking place under the NCSC’s Active Cyber Defence Programme - including analysis of the effectiveness of measures taken up to that point, and the latest developments in the threat landscape.

The agenda brought out assessments of the latest state of the cyber security threats facing the UK at the time and how they were being addressed.

In the context of the announcement of £70m of Government funding for a new Digital Security by Design Challenge, sessions examined potential vulnerabilities across key sections of the UK economy and how they were being tackled.

The conference took place following the announcement of the Telecoms Supply Chain Review, which set out government plans to improve security standards and practices in the telecoms sector through greater enforcement of security requirements, and to protect the UK’s national security interests by creating a sustainable and diverse telecoms supply chain.

Delegates also considered emerging issues, including cyber security at the periphery of networks and in IoT devices - with the Government reviewing responses to its consultation on regulatory proposals for consumer IoT security.

Areas for discussion included the extent to which vulnerabilities at the edges of networks constitute a threat to overall network security and the way forward for policy, regulation and industry practice in tackling the issues.

Delegates assessed measures set out in the draft National Cyber Security Skills Strategy, as well as examining progress and considering next steps more broadly around skills and securing a sustainable pipeline of talent.

Discussion took place on workforce diversity, which was a focus of a round of funding for the Cyber Skills Immediate Impact Fund, as well as on the creation of the new UK Cyber Security Council.

Delegates considered key issues around education and training - including skills development; tailored training programmes and priorities for improving cyber-awareness for the wider workforce.

Further sessions discussed how the UK can attract and retain talent, assessing the effectiveness of recruitment and discovery programmes.

This seminar focused on the next steps for developing the AI sector in the UK - with sessions discussing the research, investment, skills and ethical challenges which underpin its development.

The conference assessed the progress of the AI Sector Deal - which set out the Government’s approach to skills, infrastructure, research and finance in the sector. Discussion drew upon the one-year on update from the Government

Delegates considered what has been learnt so far, what more is needed to support the sector, - and the priorities for the Office of Artificial Intelligence and AI Council, which were set up to realise the full potential of AI to the economy as part of the Sector Deal.

Delegates discussed the key priorities for meeting the UK’s AI skills demand including retaining AI graduates, developing a diverse workforce, and upskilling and reskilling the existing workforce.

It follows the skills and talent package announced by the Government in February to support the growth of a world-leading AI sector in the UK - which included plans for new industry-funded AI Masters, and 16 dedicated UK Research and Innovation AI Centres for Doctoral Training at universities.

The UK’s positioning in the global AI sector was also assessed - which included discussion around competitiveness, international collaboration and its place as a world leader.

Following the publication of the White Paper on Regulation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution - which set out plans to create a regulatory system that will support innovation while protecting citizens and the environment - and the AI Readiness Index 2019 - which ranked the UK second globally - delegates discussed what more is needed to support the development and growth of AI across the UK.

This included considerations around the national data infrastructure that is required to enable widespread adoption of AI - such as ‘Data Trusts’, 5G and fibre broadband infrastructure and high performance computing.

This conference followed government investment of £250m into a new National AI Lab for the NHS, and increased funding for the Four Centres of Excellence, both with the aim to improve diagnostics and screening capabilities and improve care delivery.

Attendees discussed priorities for The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation - also set up as part of the sector deal - as it sets its 2 Year Strategy and workplan for 2019/20 - which includes plans for reviews into online targeting and bias in decision-making algorithms. The latest thinking on designing and regulating a fit-for-purpose ethical framework for the use of AI and the data upon which it relies was also considered.

This seminar focused on competition regulation in the digital economy.

It took place as the Government considered its response to the publication of the Furman Review, the Digital Competition Expert Panel set up to consider the way forward for putting the UK’s digital economy - including its range of sectors and service types - on a sustainable long-term footing with respect to competition.

Sessions considered the need, and options, for intervention by regulators and policymakers - and the impact on service providers, social media sites, streaming and content hosting platforms, their partners and customers, and other stakeholders.

Taking place following the publication of the Smart Data Review, which confirmed the Government’s intention to take forward the Furman Review’s recommendation of a new digital markets unit, delegates discussed what remit the unit should have and the approach it should take to promoting competition in the digital economy - as well as its regulatory powers.

Further sessions included discussion on M&A activity in the digital economy, looking at whether a new regulatory approach is required - following the publication of CMA’s Digital Markets Strategy and following a ministerial speech about competition rules which outlined the case for reform so as to prevent potential new forms of consumer harm.

Delegates assessed the extent to which promoting innovation and consumer benefit should be considered by the CMA as factors in whether to accept or reject a merger application - as well as examining the Review’s proposed ‘balance of harms’ consideration, which would allow the CMA to take into account the scale and probability of potential harms resulting from merger cases in making its assessment.

The agenda also looked at the digital advertising market. The discussion took place in the context of the recommendations contained in the Cairncross Review, as well as the CMA’s digital advertising market study. Delegates considered issues around whether that market is overly dominated by a small number of companies and publisher remuneration for advertising displayed next to their content.

Further sessions focused on developing international regulatory collaboration on the question of competition in digital markets. Delegates examined how regulators might work in a more standardised and joined-up fashion across national borders, in order to monitor anti-competitive practices and scrutinise cross-border mergers.