sites blocked on SingNet and StarHub were all
accessible on SysTech.
Conclusion
The Singapore government implements a limited
filtering regime, relying mainly on nontechnological measures to curb online commentary and
content relating to political, religious, and ethnic
issues. The purported purpose of these measures is “to promote and facilitate the growth of
the Internet while at the same time safeguarding
social values and racial and religious harmony.” 30
The threats of lawsuits, fines, and criminal prosecution inhibit more open discourse in an otherwise vibrant Internet community.
NOTES
1. U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices 2006: Singapore, at 1.e.,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78790.htm;
see also Singapore Statutes Online,
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
2. Human Rights Watch, “Singapore: Release opposition leader,” December 8, 2006, http://hrw.org/
english/docs/2006/12/08/singap14792.htm.
3. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development,
“Detained civil society activists suffer cruel, inhuman
and degrading treatment before deportation,”
October 15, 2006, http://www.forum-asia.org/
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=
83&Itemid=32.
4. U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices 2006: Singapore, at 1.e.,
2.a., 2.d., 3, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/
2006/78790.htm.
5. U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices 2006: Singapore, at 2.a.,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78790.htm.
6. Asia Internet Usage and Population Statistics,
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm (citing
International Telecommunication Union data).
7. InfoComm Development Authority (IDA), Statistics on
Telecom Services for 2006 (Jul. – Dec.),
http://www.ida.gov.sg/Publications/20061205181639.
aspx (listing 1,489,500 residential dialup subscriptions and 657,900 residential broadband subscriptions as of October 2006).
8. InfoComm Development Authority (IDA), Measuring
Infocomm Usage by Companies, 2005, http://www.
ida.gov.sg/Publications/20061205110753.aspx.
9. InfoComm Development Authority (IDA), “Media
Release: Free access to Wireless@SG Network
extended from two to three years,” http://www.ida.
gov.sg/News%20and%20Events/20061204103552.as
px?getPagetype=20.
10. See Media Development Authority (MDA), Internet
Industry Guidelines, http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/
mobj/mobj.496.internet_industry_guide.pdf.
11. See SingTel, Board & Management,
http://home.singtel.com/about_singtel/board_n_man
agement/default.asp; StarHub, Investor Relations –
Stock Information, http://www.starhub.com/corporate/
investorrelations/index.html.
12. See Media Development Authority (MDA), Internet,
http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.www/devnpolicies.aspx
?sid=161.
13. Media Development Authority Act of Singapore, Part
III, 11.1(h), http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
14. Broadcasting Act (Cap. 28), http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
15. Broadcasting (Class License) Notification 2001, July
15, 1996, http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/mobj/
mobj.487.ClassLicense.pdf.
16. “Prohibited material is material that is objectionable
on the grounds of public interest, public morality,
public order, public security, national harmony, or is
otherwise prohibited by applicable Singapore laws.”
Media Development Authority (MDA), Internet Code
of Practice, http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/mobj/
mobj.497.internet_code.pdf.
17. See “MDA bans gay website and fines another one,”
The Straits Times, October 28, 2005.
18. A*STAR, Press Statement, May 6, 2005,
http://www.a-star.edu.sg/astar/about/action/
pressrelease_details.do?id=0fc8783e9bYl.
19. See Singapore News, “Student shuts down blog
after A*Star threatens to sue,” May 6, 2005.
20. See, for example, “A sad day for the Singapore
blogosphere,” April 25, 2005, http://singaporeangle.
blogspot.com/2005/04/sad-day-for-singaporeblogosphere.html (expressing views of over thirty
bloggers).
21. See South China Morning Post, “Bloggers cautiously
test the limits of free speech,” July 18, 2005.
22. See Defamation Act (Cap. 75),
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
23. See Sedition Act (Cap. 290),
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
24. See “Racist bloggers jailed,” The Straits Times,
October 8, 2005.
25. Reporters Without Borders, “Government drops
charges against blogger who posted Jesus cartoons,” July 20, 2006, http://www.rsf.org/
article.php3?id_article=18106.
Country Summaries
367
accessible on SysTech.
Conclusion
The Singapore government implements a limited
filtering regime, relying mainly on nontechnological measures to curb online commentary and
content relating to political, religious, and ethnic
issues. The purported purpose of these measures is “to promote and facilitate the growth of
the Internet while at the same time safeguarding
social values and racial and religious harmony.” 30
The threats of lawsuits, fines, and criminal prosecution inhibit more open discourse in an otherwise vibrant Internet community.
NOTES
1. U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices 2006: Singapore, at 1.e.,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78790.htm;
see also Singapore Statutes Online,
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
2. Human Rights Watch, “Singapore: Release opposition leader,” December 8, 2006, http://hrw.org/
english/docs/2006/12/08/singap14792.htm.
3. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development,
“Detained civil society activists suffer cruel, inhuman
and degrading treatment before deportation,”
October 15, 2006, http://www.forum-asia.org/
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=
83&Itemid=32.
4. U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices 2006: Singapore, at 1.e.,
2.a., 2.d., 3, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/
2006/78790.htm.
5. U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices 2006: Singapore, at 2.a.,
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78790.htm.
6. Asia Internet Usage and Population Statistics,
http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm (citing
International Telecommunication Union data).
7. InfoComm Development Authority (IDA), Statistics on
Telecom Services for 2006 (Jul. – Dec.),
http://www.ida.gov.sg/Publications/20061205181639.
aspx (listing 1,489,500 residential dialup subscriptions and 657,900 residential broadband subscriptions as of October 2006).
8. InfoComm Development Authority (IDA), Measuring
Infocomm Usage by Companies, 2005, http://www.
ida.gov.sg/Publications/20061205110753.aspx.
9. InfoComm Development Authority (IDA), “Media
Release: Free access to Wireless@SG Network
extended from two to three years,” http://www.ida.
gov.sg/News%20and%20Events/20061204103552.as
px?getPagetype=20.
10. See Media Development Authority (MDA), Internet
Industry Guidelines, http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/
mobj/mobj.496.internet_industry_guide.pdf.
11. See SingTel, Board & Management,
http://home.singtel.com/about_singtel/board_n_man
agement/default.asp; StarHub, Investor Relations –
Stock Information, http://www.starhub.com/corporate/
investorrelations/index.html.
12. See Media Development Authority (MDA), Internet,
http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.www/devnpolicies.aspx
?sid=161.
13. Media Development Authority Act of Singapore, Part
III, 11.1(h), http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
14. Broadcasting Act (Cap. 28), http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
15. Broadcasting (Class License) Notification 2001, July
15, 1996, http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/mobj/
mobj.487.ClassLicense.pdf.
16. “Prohibited material is material that is objectionable
on the grounds of public interest, public morality,
public order, public security, national harmony, or is
otherwise prohibited by applicable Singapore laws.”
Media Development Authority (MDA), Internet Code
of Practice, http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.file/mobj/
mobj.497.internet_code.pdf.
17. See “MDA bans gay website and fines another one,”
The Straits Times, October 28, 2005.
18. A*STAR, Press Statement, May 6, 2005,
http://www.a-star.edu.sg/astar/about/action/
pressrelease_details.do?id=0fc8783e9bYl.
19. See Singapore News, “Student shuts down blog
after A*Star threatens to sue,” May 6, 2005.
20. See, for example, “A sad day for the Singapore
blogosphere,” April 25, 2005, http://singaporeangle.
blogspot.com/2005/04/sad-day-for-singaporeblogosphere.html (expressing views of over thirty
bloggers).
21. See South China Morning Post, “Bloggers cautiously
test the limits of free speech,” July 18, 2005.
22. See Defamation Act (Cap. 75),
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
23. See Sedition Act (Cap. 290),
http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.
24. See “Racist bloggers jailed,” The Straits Times,
October 8, 2005.
25. Reporters Without Borders, “Government drops
charges against blogger who posted Jesus cartoons,” July 20, 2006, http://www.rsf.org/
article.php3?id_article=18106.
Country Summaries
367