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Today the total number of databanks is still increasing and online information providers are facing quasi‐unlimited opportunities to expand their services both on a national and an international level. Unfortunately for databank producers this also means increasing the risk of liability as the number of potential users and kind of uses of the information is growing. This risk of liability is not a fiction. The user expects the information he receives to be reliable and accurate. In case of unreliability or inaccuracy, he will blame the person who provided him with the information.

Makes recommendations for protecting users in cyberspace, which relate to commercial communications, relationships between the service provider and consumers, and data protection. Concludes that initiatives involving trust and confidence are a means of developing confidence in electronic commerce.

Considers the future of telecommunications’ national regulatory authorities (NRAs), by way of analysing the European telecommunications regulatory framework. Examines the organization and functioning of NRAs, maintaining efficient performance of the required various tasks. Concludes an NRA is entrusted with “rule application” rather than with “rule making” tasks.

Reviews the articles up‐coming in this special issue of Info. Looks at the opening up of the European telecommunication markets and stresses this would not be limited to communications as even non‐aligned markets would become free of excessive public intervention.

Virus‐Blocker. A program called Virus‐Blocker has been developed by a West German company. Expert Informatik GmbH. There are versions in English and Dutch, as well as German. The company claims that no special expertise is needed to operate this program, and that it can recognise, and to render harmless, a dozen of the most common viruses, including the infamous ‘Israel’ and ‘Black‐Jack’. Virus‐Blocker is marketed by ISMC AG of Switzerland.

British government approves data network After months of preparation by HM Treasury's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), the first phase of the Government Data Network (GDN) has now been accepted. Trials of GDN took place in January, and it has now been implemented for daily use in 178 Customs and Excise locations throughout Britain. GDN is operated by Racal Data Networks.

Virus‐Blocker A program called Virus‐Blocker has been developed by a West German company, Expert Informatik GmbH. There are versions in English and Dutch, as well as German. The company claims that no special expertise is needed to operate this program, and that it can recognise, and to renderharmless, a dozen of the most common viruses, including the infamous ‘Israel’ and ‘Black‐Jack’. Virus‐Blocker is marketed by ISMC AG of Switzerland.