Joe Wilson: “The creation and the growth of the Internet has been one of the most important developments of the second half of the…”

“The creation and the growth of the Internet has been one of the most important developments of the second half of the 20th century. It started out as an academic research tool in the 1960s, then moved to the defense world. The Internet today has become the global communications, information, entertainment and commercial medium. All of us want to see electronic commerce flourish, and the Committee on Commerce particularly is focused on making sure that interstate and international commerce remains as free and as open as possible. In 1996, consumers spent just $2.6 billion in on-line transactions compared to more than $50 billion in 1999. That explosive growth will continue. But there are some things about the new medium which create problems for consumers: when someone tries to commit fraud over the Internet; when someone tries to shift costs from the person making and selling a product to those who are carrying the e-mail; and, of course, the right of consumers to say there are some things that I just do not want to have in my in-box.”