New Act Regarding Liability for Internet Service Providers

A new Swedish Act regarding Responsibility for Electronic Bulletin Boards (the Act) will enter into force on May 1, 1998. In short the Act forces the provider of an electronic bulletin board to keep control over the service. Further the provider has to give the users of such services certain information and has to delete certain kinds of messages.

The Act is applicable on "electronic bulletin boards". Hereby is according to the Act meant services that include electronic distribution of messages. According to the Act "messages" means text, images, sounds and other information. Most services provided by an Internet Service providers are covered by the Act. One service mentioned in the preparatory work to the Act as covered by the Act is the providing of a web hotel for Internet homepages. Some services are however expressly excluded. The Act does not apply to the provision alone of a network or other connections for the transmission of messages. Thus, for instance the Act does not