Protest against new MDA online regulations this Saturday

Dalforce 1941 SG

FireIce SG

wa bo eng

charlize SG

Hanor hanor.

Dalforce 1941 SG

MDA regulations will curb online activity during elections

The Media Development Authority's (MDA) decision to regulate online news sites is worrying in and of itself. Any attempt to curtail the flow of information on the Internet in Singapore must be viewed with extreme caution.

There is, however, another area of concern in this matter. The way that the regulations are crafted will easily extend to cover websites and blogs during elections.

In the lead up to general elections, Singaporeans look to alternative online portals for political news and information. This drives up traffic for the websites which can easily surpass the 50,000 monthly unique visitors mark that the MDA has set as the trigger point for regulation.

The SDP relies on this website to help us disseminate information about the SDP's policies and candidates. In the weeks and months leading up to the polls, the number of visits to our website increases significantly.

In the 2011 elections, the number of visitors went beyond the 50,000 mark. We have every reason to expect this trend to intensify in the 2016 elections.

The requirement to put up the $50,000 bond will add to the already onerous $16,000 election deposit that a party has to make for every candidate. The playing field will be further tilted.

The decision to impose restrictions on Internet news will only frustrate Singaporeans' desire for the development of a viable alternative to the PAP. It is regrettable that instead of abiding by the people's wishes, the Government has instituted measures that will further stymie the progress of democracy in Singapore.

Our nation is at a crossroads. Our economy has reached a stage where it needs an open society that will foster innovative thinking and spur entrepreneurial activity. Without them, Singapore cannot compete with the best the world offers. If the PAP continues with its heavy-handed approach towards governance, Singapore will continue to remain unimaginative and conformist. These traits will not propel us forward.

For the good of our people's future, we repeat our call for the Government to rescind the MDA regulations and leave the Internet free from Government interference.

http://yoursdp.org/news/2013-06-05-5642

SJS6638 SG

This has already been posted two times in sgf. You very late.

Why need to have duplicate posting?>

SevenEleven SG

This has already been posted two times in sgf. You very late.

Why need to have duplicate posting?>

he was passionate enough to take action. I can empathise with that

FireIce SG

bcos no censorship loh

SJS6638 SG

he was passionate enough to take action. I can empathise with that

Words from you .......................

SevenEleven SG

bcos no censorship loh

that becoz there is less than 50k ip address here :(

charlize SG

Hanor hanor

Dalforce 1941 SG

Over 1,000 people are estimated to have turned up for the Free My Internet protest at Hong Lim Park in Singapore on 6 June 2013.

Yahoo! Newsroom - Over 1,000 people are estimated to have turned up for the Free My Internet protest at Hong Lim Park in Singapore on 6 June 2013.

Around 1,500 Singaporeans led by local bloggers attended a rally Saturday to protest new government licensing rules for news websites that they say curtail freedom of expression.

The peaceful rally, held at a free-speech park called Speakers' Corner, was organised by a coalition of bloggers called "Free My Internet" to protest the regulations which came into force this month.

"The message today is that the government must trust us, and stop treating us like babies," said Choo Zheng Xi, a spokesman for the group and co-founder of popular political news website The Online Citizen.

"It is an international embarrassment when governments around the world are working to deregulate the Internet, and Singapore, one of the wealthiest nations per capita, is going in the opposite direction," he told AFP.

The group had also organised an "Internet blackout" on Thursday, where over 130 bloggers in the city-state replaced their homepages with black screens featuring the words "#FreeMyInternet".

Under the rules, websites with at least 50,000 unique visitors from Singapore every month that publish at least one local news article per week over a period of two months must obtain an annual licence.

Websites granted a licence will have to remove "prohibited content" such as articles that undermine "racial or religious harmony" within 24 hours of being notified by Singapore's media regulator, the Media Development Authority (MDA).

The new rules have sparked anger in the city-state's robust blogging and social media community which has accused the government of a lack of consultation and raised fears the regulations are aimed at muzzling free expression.

Blogs and social media have gained popularity as alternative sources of news and opinion in Singapore, where the mainstream newspapers are perceived to be pro-government.

"The government should stop thinking that they can pass laws as and when they fancy," said rally participant Raymond Kwok, 29.

"There must be a process of consultation, or it makes democracy and our parliament a farce," said the human resources executive.

The government has sought to allay the fears, pointing out that blogs were not considered news portals and do not come under the rules.

Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said Tuesday the government would continue to take a "light touch" approach to regulating the Internet.

Saturday's rally is the third major protest to take place at Speakers' Corner this year.

Two rallies against the government's immigration policy were held earlier this year garnering crowds of more than 3,000, making them the country's biggest protests in decades.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/protesters-rally-singapore-against-online-rules-101059500.html