Singapore bloggers stage web protest
A group of 134 bloggers and community websites in Singapore blacked out their homepages on June 6 in a protest against new internet licensing regulations by the government put into force on June 1.
Web portals showed black screens featuring the words “#FreeMyInternet” as well as the time and venue of a rally to be held on Saturday, June 8.
The protest came after regulations were announced that news websites that publish articles about Singapore need to obtain a license from the city-state’s official media regulator.
Participating websites not just came from socio-political blogs, but also from other sectors such as lifestyle, food and technology. The movement’s website, www.freemyinternet.com allows netizens to sign an online petition in protest of the new regulations and also steps on how people can “blackout” their blog sites.
A rally is planned at Singapore’s Hong Lim Park on June 8 from 4 to 7pm.
Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, Yaacob Ibrahim, dismissed claims by bloggers that the new rules would impinge on Internet freedom.
“I think the best way for people to see, after the licenses are issued, is whether the activists are indeed limited in their public discourse,” he told local media.
A group of 134 bloggers and community websites in Singapore blacked out their homepages on June 6 in a protest against new internet licensing regulations by the government put into force on June 1. Web portals showed black screens featuring the words "#FreeMyInternet" as well as the time and venue of a rally to be held on Saturday, June 8. The protest came after regulations were announced that news websites that publish articles about Singapore need to obtain a license from the city-state's official media regulator. Participating websites not just came from socio-political blogs, but also from other sectors such...
A group of 134 bloggers and community websites in Singapore blacked out their homepages on June 6 in a protest against new internet licensing regulations by the government put into force on June 1.
Web portals showed black screens featuring the words “#FreeMyInternet” as well as the time and venue of a rally to be held on Saturday, June 8.
The protest came after regulations were announced that news websites that publish articles about Singapore need to obtain a license from the city-state’s official media regulator.
Participating websites not just came from socio-political blogs, but also from other sectors such as lifestyle, food and technology. The movement’s website, www.freemyinternet.com allows netizens to sign an online petition in protest of the new regulations and also steps on how people can “blackout” their blog sites.
A rally is planned at Singapore’s Hong Lim Park on June 8 from 4 to 7pm.
Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, Yaacob Ibrahim, dismissed claims by bloggers that the new rules would impinge on Internet freedom.
“I think the best way for people to see, after the licenses are issued, is whether the activists are indeed limited in their public discourse,” he told local media.
