p4 lewd posting by bloggers


2/13

Presenting

Blogging Personified


3/13

Timeline of Blogs

1994 blogging started off

1998 becomes one of the first

online tools 2000 big names bloggers emerge,

Andrew Sullivan & Glenn Reynolds

2008 bloggers practice freedom ofspeech

2009 Singaporean bloggers are

becoming more daring and liberaltoda


4/13

Main Arising Issues onBlogging

SeditionDefamation


5/13

Blogging in Singapore

Going towards the

light touch

approach


6/13

Profile of light touch

Definition: Vague, Unspecified

Initiated since: 1996

Purpose: Help to foster the growth ofthe Internet and allow us to tap itsvast potential while enabling us toprotect our society from undesirableimpact (Mr Lee Boon Yang, MICA)

Actualized: Eg. in 2006 generalelections


7/13

Views on ambiguity of lighttouch

Issue of out-of-bound markers "Only when you hit the mines (do) you

know where they are," says Colin Goh of

talkingcock.com, grousing about whathe says are vague and unclear rules forblogging in the city state. "But nobody isgoing to tell you where they are.


8/13

"We will consider how to better embrace thesechanges so that by the next GE, we may be able toadopt a lighter touch approach during the electionperiod." said Dr Lee Boon Yang

are people's participation only relevant duringelection periods?

Lifting the ban on political parties use of videos andaudio casts on their own websites during electionsas a first step

(NTU School of Communication and Information Dean

Ang Peng Hwa)



9/13

Conclusion

Make the Light touch approach either a BLACK or aWHITE

While welcoming the lighter touch, it would be

even better for the government to get rid of thearsenal of legal big sticks it has acquired in the

last decade and adopt a NO TOUCHAPPROACH

WE MUST TRUST PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DECIDEWHAT IS TRUEAND WHAT IS NOT.

(Mr Tan Tarn How, IPS Senior Researcher)


10/13

soft authoritarianism Its all sweet-talkNo, it's not about

participation, rights, democracy,

freedom of expression or other seditiousstuff. It's always about how a particulargroup of people could continue to stayin power. said MollyMeek


F h Li h


11/13

Future changes: Light tolighter?

What difference does it makes? "To keep up with the fast-evolvingnew media landscape, we have been

reviewing our light-touchapproach and are considering how

we could take a lighter touchapproach. We have appointed theAdvisory Council on the Impact ofNew Media on Society (AIMS) in Aprillast year to study the new media and

how best to refine our regulatory

F h Li h


12/13

Future changes: Light tolighter?

What difference does it makes? Obviously new media regulations willtake place to keep pace with anytechnological advancement.

However, history has shown suchregulations later tend be watereddown and then disappear eventuallyas people learn to live with thechanging effects of any technologicaladvancement over time.


13/13

In a nut shell

Light touch approach is too vague

Bloggers themselves are not awareof it until they step on the mines

Unless the government makesclearer guidelines for this approach,netizens will still live in doubt and

fear OR with a clearer guideline on this

approach, it makes citizens moredaring in testing the limits

p4 lewd posting by bloggers

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