After Japan implemented a policy targeting online bullies, Singapore is the next Asian country to eye tighten social media rules.
All over the world, the use of social media has gone beyond networking, interactions, and entertainment. Issues of consent, morality, disinformation, and even propaganda are ever-present, causing many countries to think thoroughly about how social media use is to be enforced if state regulation is even warranted.
Japan Imposes Hefty Cyberbullying Fines
Japan has recently adopted a more corrective approach to cyberbullying. The goal is to disincentivize and commensurately penalize the act by increasing the penalty by up to $2,200, with a jail time that can go from 30 days to 1 year. This is expected from a country known for its punitive response to online harassment to protect its citizens. Though many may say this is quite an outrageous consequence of common trash talk, Japan's Ministry of Justice believes cyberbullying to be a serious offense, a form of baseless harassment and degrading.
While Japan's legislation seems to be sure and sound, some experts claim that the move may impact the citizens negatively too. Cyberbullying as an offense may need to be defined. Otherwise, legal action can be abused, and any insult can simply be used to convict someone. Free speech may also be hindered if this legislation is carried out thoughtlessly.
Singapore to Enforce Stricter Measures on Social Media
Singapore is among the countries that do not take internet security lightly. Recently, the country has worked on drafting new rules that will let the government direct social media networks when it comes to disabling content deemed harmful. Moreover, there are new rules in the pipeline that are meant to allow the government to block content or disallow some online accounts from communicating with people in Singapore.
The Singapore government is still working on the specifics of their social media and internet rules that involve digital banking services. What will be deemed "harmful" and what will require disabling access have not yet been revealed, although hyperlinks in messaging apps will not be prohibited as this was not seen to mitigate the risks of phishing attacks.
It seems the Singapore parliament is focused on controlling access to harmful content. Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) is focused on taking on two angles to cybersecurity. First, social networks will be required to take on some processes to reinforce the end user's safety in the country, most especially the youth. Secondly, social networks shall disable access to content identified as harmful but still exist on their platforms even with their moderation systems in place. Characterized as "harmful" are content having self-inflicted harm, sexual harm and abuse, public security, racism, and religious discrimination. This regulatory task will be delegated to the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
MCI, however, claims that though social networks have complied in addressing online risks, these harms continue to exist and are further propagated through social media. A parliamentary response said this continues to be a dilemma even in other countries and that they have "studied relevant international regulatory models and provisions under existing local laws."
The United Kingdom is also pushing an online safety bill that prevents users from being exposed to harmful content.
On Feb. 3, a Twitter user was convicted in the country for posting a "grossly offensive" tweet about a war veteran. A 36-year-old man from Glasgow, Joseph Kelly, was reportedly sentenced to 150 hours of community service.
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