Let’s stop being so confused about the Internet’s role in revolutions. Technology works with human networks and amplifies human activities, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. But is an open Internet a human right?
Politics, Ethics, and Constitutional ideals of free speech were the focus of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s speech today, marking the first time a major political figure has presented a detailed analysis of the role of Internet freedom in global democracy. Protecting free speech on the Internet was highlighted as critical to global diplomacy and an open society.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced that he would not censor the Internet despite the influence of Facebook and Twitter in triggering the rebellion in Egypt and claims by the Opposition that Najib’s administration fears online dissent.
For months, the government talked about amending the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) to cover online content.
In late January and early February this year, both the Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and the Minister of Information, Communication and Culture, Rais Yatim appeared ready to take the regressive step of controlling the online media.
Yesterday, Najib seemed to tell us that there was no such plan for online censorship.
So is this part of the wider government plan to confuse us and feed us with conflicting news in its disinformation and miscommunication plan?
No. There is no specific plan to throw us off track. The real story is that the government is itself confused and is clueless. The mixed messages coming out of Putrajaya are typical of this government – it excels in behaving like a headless chicken.
One doubts if Rais, Hishammuddin and Najib will censor the internet. The backlash from Malaysians, who are known worldwide for their Internet savvy would cause irreparable damage to Najib’s administration.
Internet users are not just opposition supporters but also normal people who use it in their everyday lives for social interaction, information seeking and online purchases. There are also the businesses to consider.
If there was censorship of the Internet, Rais wouldn’t be able to become an overnight sensation.
In January 2010, Rais warned Malaysians to be wary of the Internet because the west had introduced it. He said, “We are not saying they cannot use Facebook or Twitter, but when using such facilities, they must upkeep the values taught by Islam, Buddhism or Christianity to maintain our culture”.
As a result of Rais’s announcement Twitter users launched a flurry of tweets marked with a #yorais hashtag (a parody of Yo Mamma jokes), and was among the top three topics on Twitter. Rais took pride of place alongside tweets for the 2010 Haiti Earthquake and Kraft’s takeover of Cadbury.
It there was censorship, how else would Rais and Hishammuddin find information about Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim? In July 2010, they trawled the net and found a blog article which they then used to accuse Anwar of being a CIA agent.
These two had egg on their faces as they found nothing to implicate Anwar. Perhaps Rais and Hishammuddin are the ones who should be barred from using the Net. Did they care to investigate first before putting this damaging news out on various online sites, including Umno online? No.
On 26 January 2011, Home Ministry secretary-general Mahmood Adam said that the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 would be amended to expand its scope and include ‘publications’ posted online and plug loopholes.
His announcement was echoed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohamed Nazri Aziz who said that media freedom should not be interpreted to mean absolute freedom, including the freedom to lie and slander, even if it affected national security.
The following day, Hishammudin denied that the government had plans to implement new regulations to control online media content, claiming that existing laws already covered the Internet.
A week later, Rais said that the guidelines on laws governing the dissemination of information through the media, including the Internet, will be tabled at the Cabinet meeting soon.
Perhaps Najib is fed up with his ministers who simply cannot come to an agreement and so he has decided to end the nation’s heartache with all this flip-flopping. That is probably why he announced that there will be no internet censorship.
We agree. If he censored the information highways, there goes the 2020 developed nation dream. And how would he justify the ghost-town called Cyberjaya?
David Brooks from the New York Times noted on PBS last Friday that since 1974, 85 autocracies have collapsed under the weight of popular social movements. As these protesters and citizens become further wired, it is critical that United States diplomats use new technologies to listen to these voices and communicate with these citizens with consistency. While it is going to be difficult to implement such a vision, and inevitably points of tension and potential contradiction will emerge, this post lays out key issues from today’s speech that we must deal with to protect the Internet as an open and democratic public space.
The Continued Importance and Reach of Technology: Cultures and societies develop using the tools and technologies of their time. With four billion mobile phone users and 30% of the world’s population with basic Internet access, it’s absurd to dispute the implications of these technologies on social, political, and economic life. While 70% of the world’s population has yet to join the conversation, many are indirectly affected by technological change. In an earlier speech on January 21, 2010, Clinton expressed this when she stated,readmore Can we Trust this UMNO-BARISAN Goverment Leaders has Found ‘Off’ Switch for Internet
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