Bloggers stage protest, call on new MDA rules to be withdrawn

ARCHIVES 2013

By admin-s On Jun 9, 2013

(Today Online) – “The government refuses to put it into law, that non-commercial sites will never be regulated… What isn’t said speaks louder”

A group of bloggers expressed deep-seated concerns over the newly introduced licensing regime for news sites at the Free My Internet protest on Saturday, despite the Government’s recent assurances that it maintains a “light touch” approach to the Internet and the new rules would not limit public discourse.

The 15 speakers at the three-hour long protest at Hong Lim Park called on the Government to withdraw the new rules, which kicked in on June 1.

Key among the bloggers’ concerns was that future governments might not abide by the present Government’s recent stand that criticism of government policies will be allowed. Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim had said on Monday that news reports and comments critical of government would not be targeted under the new regime, as long as they are accurate and not misleading.

This puts “too much trust in the regulators”, according to blogger Visakan Veerasamy. “Even if they make perfect decisions, who’s to say that future politicians won’t exploit the flimsiness of this policy? How can we be sure that such authority won’t be abused? The best medicine is self-government.”

He likened it to parents teaching their children how to use the Internet responsibly, instead of through punitive measures.

Many speakers also criticised the broad definition of what constitutes a news website, which the Media Development Authority had given as “any programme containing any news, intelligence, report of occurrence, or any matter of public interest, about any social, economic, political, cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific or any other aspect of Singapore in any language”.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong, who sent a message to be read out at the protest as he is overseas, felt that despite Dr Yaacob’s assurances, they have not been written into the regulation, thus creating more uncertainty.