Regulation of Access to Adult Sites

Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (a) why MDA considers it better to have an opt-out facility rather than an opt-in facility for adult websites with the '.xxx' suffix; (b) whether MDA is aware that some parents are unaware of how to activate the opt-out facility for such adult websites; and (c) whether the protection of innocent children from hard core pornographic websites is a priority of the Ministry.

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: The Government takes the public's concern with .xxx sites seriously. The Media Development Authority (MDA) adopts a multi-faceted approach to addressing harmful online content through regulation, industry efforts and public education. All local websites are automatically licensed under MDA's Class Licence Scheme and are required to abide by the Internet Code of Practice. Local sites which are found to be in breach of class licence conditions or the Internet Code of Practice would be issued with a take-down notice.

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MDA will take regulatory action against any .xxx site with objectionable content hosted in Singapore. For sites hosted overseas, blocking is not an effective solution, given the vast numbers of undesirable sites in a dynamic online environment and the numerous ways to bypass blocks.

There is currently no "opt-out" or "opt-in" option with regard to .xxx sites. Instead, MDA is requiring ISPs to promote Internet filters at the point of sale and upon the renewal of contracts to subscribers. Parents or subscribers can opt to subscribe to filters offered by the ISPs to block undesirable sites such as .xxx sites. Alternatively, anyone could install free Internet filters such as Norton Online Family and Windows Live Family Safety. I would like to encourage parents to do so to protect their young ones from harmful content on the Internet.

MDA is aware that not all parents know about Internet filters and how to use them. Therefore, MDA will intensify its efforts to have ISPs step up their outreach activities so that the public will be better-equipped to deal with undesirable online content.

MDA also works closely with partners from the people and private sectors to organise public education programmes and workshops for the public to promote cyber wellness.

Cyber wellness is also being promoted actively by the Inter-Ministry Cyber Wellness Steering Committee (ICSC). This committee, co-chaired by MICA and MOE, was formed in 2009 to coordinate the Government's promotion of cyberwellness through working with public- and private-sector organisations. Through the ICSC, the Government has funded 17 projects, including the Cyber Wellness Campaign, to encourage the positive use of the Internet and mobile technologies among Singapore's youths. Other projects include cyberwellness camps and counselling services.

Ultimately, the best defence against harmful online content is teaching our young how to use the Internet responsibly and to protect themselves from the dangers lurking in cyberspace. As part of a nationwide campaign, MDA has set up the Cyber Wellness@SG website (http://www.cyberwellness.org.sg) and also produced a parents' guidebook with tips on safe surfing.

This guidebook is available at http://www.mda.gov.sg/Public/Parents/Documents/Handbook.pdf. MDA has also set up a travelling cyberwellness bus that is making its rounds of primary and secondary schools to take the cyberwellness message to students.