COMMENT: Is Free Speech Online Become Too Costly for Society?

Contrary to how the rest of the world perceives Singaporeans today - conservative, straight laced, reserved and repressed - one need only to visit the Channelnewsasia forum pages (http://info.channelnewsasia.com/bb/index.php) to see how some Singaporeans exercise their rights of speech online.

So when today's Straits Times and Channelnewsasia.com reported that two men had been charged under the Sedition Act for having posted racist remarks on an online forum as well as a blog. It came as a surprise but not totally unpredicted. Channelnewsasia reported that there are already many racist blogs by Singaporeans. Will the arrest and charge bring about a chilling effect on these blogs and forums? Channelnewsasia.com reported that several prominent bloggers expects that it will.

With this case - and possibly others that follow - Singaporeans will learn that free speech is not a right to racist, sexist or defamatory speech. While being online creates an impression of anonymity, that perception is only an illusion. Unfortunately for these two bloggers, the absence of pervious efforts by the authorities to prosecute may have been mistaken as a hands-off policy for online speech.

Is this a mere one off case or the beginning of a more active and vigilant prosecution of online misdemeanours? What is the public opinion on this? Will bloggers be more circumspect with their postings?

While these questions will ultimately be answered in time, the immediate and positive outcome of these cases is that Singaporean bloggers and forumers will learn to be more circumspect of the rights of others.

Two bloggers charged under Sedition Act over racist remarks-Channelnewsasia.com