Singapore Internet Regulations Come Into Force

10 July 1996

Singapore is leading the charge to regulate the Internet in Asia, having early this year convened a meeting of neighboring countries on how it could be achieved. Their new regulations, that aim to prevent the access to political and social comment as well as pornography came into force this month. Thailand beat them to it, with new Internet users reportedly being asked to sign a long declaration of do's and don'ts concentrating on religious discussion, pornography and to a lesser extent politics.

The Internet is a tool for globalisation, and exchange of positive ideas across cultures. Singapore's attempt to negate what was perceived as negative information about Singapore being aired over the cyberwaves, of placing government sponsored information on the popular World Wide Web, was perhaps more positive.

While limiting access to pornography is commendable, it may have also been useful to leave it up to parent's discretion on how to limit access to sites that they find unacceptable rather than leaving it to the government. Several readily available tools are available for that now, from the Internet itself to Sim Lim Square and the Funan Centre.

Perhaps the best indication of a mature society is the willingness of the government to leave it up to their citizens to decide what they do and do not read. While to some extent, the success of Singapore in the past may be due to their policy of doing the opposite this may not be as successful for the global future.