25 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh EH8 9LN

Tel/Fax (0131) 667 9609

EMail: Hume.Institute@ed.ac.uk Internet: http://www.davidhumeinstitute.com

Professor Brian Main, Director of The David Hume Institute said: "Simply adding the letter ‘e’ to any form of business is commonly held to be a sure-fire way of both modernising that business and, at least until the bursting of the dot-com bubble, of guaranteeing financial success. But, in many cases, the move to the Internet brings with it additional complications that did not previously exist. There are distinct ethical questions that have to be confronted when considering regulating the Internet and, of course, some very different views exist as to what is the best way forward.

This seminar will bring together an academic expert in the field, who will review the general issues that arise and lead the discussion into a particular applied area, namely, pornography. The second speaker will offer some first hand experience of using the law to tackle the growing problem of the exploitation of children over the internet, both through pornography and through ‘grooming’ offences".

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Lilian Edwards’ research interests lie in two main areas, Scottish family law and the interaction of law and computers. She has published widely in the field of artificial intelligence and law, and built several practical legal expert systems. Currently she is analysing the impact of the Internet on substantive law. Her secondary research interest is in Scottish family law, especially in relation to children. She also maintains an interest in the international private law aspects of family law; trusts and succession; medico-legal problems in relation to reproduction; and feminist theory.

Graduated LlB from Glasgow University in 1983.

Trained with McGrigor Donald, Solicitors

Joined Procurator Fiscal Service in 1985

Front line depute in Dumfries, Dunfermline and Edinburgh

Spent 9 years in various departments in Crown Office – Fraud Unit, High Court Unit, Appeals Section and, latterly, the Policy Group, where:

• prepared the Crown’s response to the 2^nd Campbell and Steele appeals (the "Ice Cream Wars" murders);
• member of the departmental ECHR Working Group that prepared Scottish prosecutors for incorporation of Convention Rights by the Scotland Act 1998;
• co-ordinated the department’s response to the Scottish Parliament’s Justice 2 Committee inquiry into Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service

Otherwise has been principally concerned with offences against children, (on and off line.) Has been on career break for 18 months, but on Monday (1^st December) takes up post in Procurator Fiscal’s Office in Edinburgh managing a Sheriff and Jury team, and taking over responsibility for child pornography cases arising from Operation Ore.

The views that will be expressed by the speakers are their own and do not commit the Trustees or Officers of the Institute in any way.

The David Hume Institute, 25 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh EH8 9LN

Catriona Laing Tel/Fax (0131) 667 9609

e-mail: Hume.Institute@ed.ac.uk