Singapore Internet Regulators Take First Action, Censor Posting
March 31, 2011
SINGAPORE -- In its first action since assuming powers this week to police the Internet, the Singapore Broadcasting Authority has yanked off a newsgroup's posting that criticized some lawyers, a newspaper reported Friday. The SBA acted on a complaint by an unidentified law firm, which said the contents of the anonymous posting defamed some of its lawyers in Singapore, according to a report in the Straits Times newspaper Friday. The newspaper said the posting on the newsgroup was apparently made by a disgruntled client who claimed he lost a case even though his lawyers told him he could win it. The client also questioned the ability of the lawyers who belongs to one of the oldest firms in Singapore, the Straits Times said. Under new SBA regulations that came into effect Monday, the government agency has the power to ask Internet service providers to remove material that it considers objectionable. A government-appointed panel of prominent citizens decides what is objectionable. The Straits Times said the posting is believed to have been made from the U.S., which means the SBA, in keeping with its own rules, will not be able to take action against the offender. The SBA says its rules are mainly directed against pornography, anti-government or seditious views, racially motivated slurs and articles that could inflame religious passions. Since Monday, Internet providers, political parties that maintain Web sites, groups and individuals who run discussion sites on politics and religion, and on-line newspapers are deemed to have become automatically licensed. This means refusal to follow the SBA rules will result in fines. The amounts are yet to be determined.
