Monday, August 29, 2005

Internet Filtering in Singapore

There is a study which you can find on the Net conducted by the OpenNet Initiative on the extend of Net filtering, i.e. censorship in Singapore. Here's quoting the conclusion of the report.
Singapore’s state-mandated filtering of Internet sites is quite limited. Our testing found only six pornographic sites, one illegal drugs site, and one fanatical religion site blocked, and each of these sites could be reached in at least some of our tests. Only six sites were blocked in more than one-third of our tests, including five pornographic sites. We believe that these six sites are those most likely targeted for deliberate blocking by Singapore. Moreover, similar content is readily available at other, unblocked sites. Thus, the state’s technological Internet censorship is minimal, reflecting the MDA’s professed symbolic commitment to preventing access to this type of material.

However, ONI’s legal and background research demonstrates that Singapore uses other, non-technological measures to prevent online posting of and access to certain material, particularly that related to political groups other than the People’s Action Party and to religious and ethnic conflict. The threats of extremely high fines or even criminal prosecution as a result of defamation lawsuits, imprisonment without judicial approval under the Internal Security Act, and police monitoring of computer use may deter users in Singapore from creating or obtaining access to potentially objectionable material. Thus, Singapore’s filtering regime for political, religious, and ethnic material is primarily low-tech, yet nonetheless potentially effective.
So, it seems that the Internet environment is quite free, but not as free as you would imagine, if you know what I mean.

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