Internet not an effective self-regulated regime, says MICA
By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 04 February 2009 1614 hrs

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SINGAPORE: Contrary to what some may feel, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts, Lui Tuck Yew, has said the internet is not an effective self-regulated regime.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Mr Lui cited the example of cybertalk which erupted after MP Seng Hang Thong was set on fire by a disgruntled ex-cabbie.

The blogs of local netizens were abuzz with the incident involving Mr Seng. Mr Lui said while a small number of comments were sympathetic, most were unhelpful.

"Significant numbers were unkind. A small number was downright outrageous. It's disappointing."

Mr Lui added that the internet community had not done enough to rebut some of the unhelpful comments delivered by fellow netizens.

He said: "It is a squandered opportunity for a higher degree of self-regulation. It would have been an example of the genesis of the first step towards a more responsible, a greater self-regulatory regime.

"But many of those responses were not rebutted nor answered. And I think it is not healthy for some of those to remain on the net unchallenged, unquestioned, and unanswered."

The Singapore government is now making more efforts to engage netizens after the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (AIMS) submitted its proposals in December last year. But it is opting for a cautious and pragmatic approach for now.

Mr Lui said to develop a responsible cyberspace, all parties, including the government and netizens, have to play a role.

He said bloggers and website proprietors need to maintain credibility, while netizens should do more to establish and enforce the norms of acceptable online behaviour.

- CNA/yt