POSTING OF LEWD PHOTOGRAPHS ON BLOGS

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POSTING OF LEWD PHOTOGRAPHS ON BLOGS: 10.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (a) whether his Ministry has taken any action against bloggers who deliberately post lewd photographs of themselves or others, with or without their consent, on their blogs; and (b) how many people have been charged for such offences.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan (for the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts): Sir, I share the Member's concern about bloggers posting lewd photographs of themselves or others on their blogs. We recognise that blogs are a means of private communication used by individuals as well as groups. However, bloggers

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must realise that the materials they post in their personal blogs can be seen in the public domain. Posting of content, such as lewd photographs of themselves or others, would be offensive to many other Internet users. Bloggers could also run foul of the law. While some bloggers may do it deliberately, some others, especially young Singaporeans, may not be aware of the adverse consequences of their action. That is why we have emphasised the importance of developing public education programmes and industry self-regulation to work hand-in-hand with legal enforcement, so as to keep our online environment safe for all users.

To date, there has been no police report complaining about lewd pictures posted by Singaporeans or lewd pictures being hosted on blogs in Singapore. When the Police receive public information on such cases, they will investigate and assess each case. Where offences have been committed, they will investigate them thoroughly. If an offender is apprehended, he or she may be prosecuted. The Media Development Authority (MDA) will assist the Police with these investigations.

The Government recognises that legal enforcement alone is not enough, given the nature of the Internet where bloggers could be anonymous. It is crucial for us to address the issue by building up awareness and responsibility in using the Internet among our younger users. In this regard, education plays an important role whereby parents, schools and the community work together through various programmes to help promote safe practices online. The MDA has also funded public education efforts on the Internet.

Furthermore, the Government has been working actively with the industry and the local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to promote greater industry self-regulation. This is to encourage the

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industry to provide a safe Internet environment for subscribers, especially families with young children. A positive result is that ISPs now offer Family Access Networks (FANs) to filter out undesirable websites to their subscribers.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo (West Coast): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State how would the Ministry actually be tracking the content in such blogs and, given the fact that the websites are actually public domain, what form of accountability is to be taken by or expected of the bloggers. I am heartened to note that there will be an educational approach taken. And to what extent will the Ministry be implementing such educational programmes?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: I believe there are two parts to her questions. First, what measures are we taking to police, and second, the education messages. With regard to the first part, the MDA takes a light touch approach in regulating the Internet. So we do not police closely the blogger sites and what the bloggers put up on their blog sites. Because, by and large, bloggers want to communicate with their friends and to police all these blog sites would be intrusion into the life of the bloggers. However, if there is a specific complaint by a Singaporean to the Police about the law being broken by a Singaporean blogger, or a website hosted in Singapore, we will investigate and prosecute. Where we do come across postings that are offensive, we have asked people to take them down. For example, MDA issued an ISP of Friday.com with a take-down notice in October and November when their website showed links to materials that depict incest and there were postings of members soliciting for sex. When the website Floutboy.com was found to be trading and exchanging naked photographs of underaged boys, the website was blacklisted. So Singaporeans cannot access that website. Where there have

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been specific complaints, we have taken action. But the Internet is a place where there is a lot of rubbish and it is not possible for the MDA to clean it up. So where we have specific complaints, we will look into it and try to clean it up. But what is important is educating our young so that they can protect themselves when they use the Internet.

She has asked what measures we are taking. Among the things that MDA has been doing, it has been actively supporting the efforts of volunteer groups, like Touch Community Services, to train and teach parents as well as teenagers on how to use the Internet. So far, MDA has provided over $600,000 in funding to support Touch Community Services towards their programmes, in particular, the Cyberspace Risk & where U Seek Help (CRuSH) programme. So among the CRuSH programme, we have had the CRuSH roadshow, the project CRuSH Mandarin programme, the planet CRuSH programme. And these are all intended to educate young people about the Internet.

MDA has also spearheaded other initiatives to promote cyber wellness in 2005, there was a Cyber Wellness Pilot Run for Computer Training Centre in September 2005 to March 2006. Then there is the RestFest which was conducted between 24th and 27th November which was the world's preeminent festival of Innovative Moving Image which occurred in Singapore and, during that period, gained the opportunity to educate young people.

MDA is also collaborating with the School of Infocommunication Technology at the Singapore Polytechnic to produce animation clips, based on the theme "Internet Safety". So these are some measures that MDA is taking because education is the most important aspect of Internet safety, more so than policing.

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Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang (Nominated Member): Sir, the Minister of State mentioned the blacklist of Internet sites. May I ask him how long is that list nowadays?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: The list has always been 100.

Mr Sin Boon Ann (Tampines): Can I ask the Minister of State whether he feels that MDA is satisfied with the level of funding and support that is given in the area of educating the children and users of the Internet?

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: I think to educate young people requires more than funding from MDA. It really requires teachers, parents and the community to get involved, and for parents to teach young children does not require funding. But if there are good projects that require funding that will enhance safety, we would consider it.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): I just want to emphasise that MDA should work closely with MOE because these are young children and those going into the Internet are getting younger. I would like to ask MDA to work closely with MOE in educating our children.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: I totally agree with the Member that we will work with MOE in educating our young people.

Dr Wang Kai Yuen (Bukit Timah): I would like to find out from the Minister of State when will the content of these blogs start becoming from being just mere offensive to tenable and verifiable evidence that could be tendered in court for an act committed in Singapore that is punishable under the Penal Code, such as homosexual act, oral sex and sex with underaged ladies.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Sir, in any particular case, it will depend on the facts

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of the case. So if there is a site that a Member feels is objectionable, he can make a police report and then the Police, under MHA, will investigate directly and, if laws are violated, they will investigate.

Dr Wang Kai Yuen: Sir, would MDA not, in monitoring these sites and when they have found such a content on its own, make it as tenable evidence and pass it to the Police rather than have the complaint from the public? If the public makes a complaint, we are making an assumption that the public would peruse this and therefore find it offensive and then make a complaint.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan: Sir, we cannot regulate MDA with a light touch and, at the same time, police it in the manner suggested. So, currently, our philosophy is to have a light touch regulation of the Internet which means that we do not look at everybody's blog site and website and then take objection to it and start investigations.

But if there is a site that has offended a Singaporean and the Singaporean complains to the police, the police will investigate.