Singapore - The Singapore government is considering a lighter touch in regulating the internet after 13 bloggers called for freedom to discuss political issues and views, the group said on Thursday. The bloggers also proposed that any regulation of online content should not be at the administrative discretion of officials, but through moderation by a consultative body of citizens.
"To keep up with the fast-evolving new media landscape, we have been reviewing our light-touch approach and are considering how we could take a lighter-touch approach," The Straits Times quoted K Bhavani, press secretary at the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), as saying.
"Our intent was to foster the growth of the internet and to enable us to exploit its vast potential while safeguarding our society from its undesirable aspects," she said.
The views of the bloggers plus feedback from others would be considered in the ministry's review of new media, she said in the published remarks.
The bloggers included a 19-year-old national serviceman and a 55-year-old businessman.
They e-mailed their suggestions to MICA minister Lee Boon Yang.
Law student Choo Zheng Xi said the group focused on the regulatory process and online political content, sex and violence.
"We remain very hopeful that they will incorporate some of our ideas," Alex Au, who operates the Yawning Bread website, told the newspaper.
