The FreeMyInternet group issued the following statement in response to the Media Development Authority’s request for political news website Mothership to register under the Broadcasting Act.
* * * * *

Mothership screen grab
Screen capture from Mothership
The FreeMyInternet group is disappointed by the move made by the Media Development Authority requesting for news website Mothership to register under the Broadcasting Act.
Many concerns about the way the Broadcasting Act has been applied to The Independent Singapore and Breakfast Network remain in the case of Mothership.
First, MDA has imposed the regulation without clear indication that Mothership has foreign sponsors. If this were the case, we hope that MDA will show proof of this link. Otherwise, registering a website based on possibility is not sound policy, and only encourages the view that the government holds bias towards any media and evolving media environment it is unfamiliar with.
Second, this being the third website that MDA has attempted to register under the revised guidelines, there is still no clarity, in terms of publicly available information, of the criteria that govern the registration of websites. This impedes the development of a vibrant online space where independent websites are genuine in seeking to be financially sustainable. We continue to hope that MDA will take its role as a developer of the online space more seriously.
And third, we remain concerned about the government seeking continued and increasing regulation of the online space. It should seek engagement-by-default over regulation, should it encounter contrarian voices online, as a hallmark of progressive governance.
The FreeMyInternet group continues to call for the cessation of regulation under the new licencing regime. We remain ready for open dialogue with MDA on issues relating to the amendments of the Broadcasting Act, for a more diverse and open media space, one that is based on encouraging responsibility rather than imposing regulation.
About FreeMyInternet
The FreeMyInternet movement was founded by a collective of bloggers who are against the licensing requirements imposed by the Singapore government on 1 June 2013, which requires online news sites to put up a performance bond of S$50,000 and comply within 24 hours to remove content that is found to be in breach of content standards. The group believes this to be an attempt at censorship and an infringement on the rights of Singaporeans to access information online and calls for a withdrawal of this licensing regime.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

倒霉居民半年内 汽车电单车分别被树枝倒塌大树压坏!

大巴窑同一组屋停车场,半年内竟先后发生树枝断裂和大树倒塌!还有倒霉居民的车子和电单车,先后两次都被砸坏。而此前向市镇会索赔也被驳回。 据大巴窑5巷第68座组屋一带居民分享,该区停车场昨日(13日)早上,一棵大树倒塌,至少六辆轿车和六辆电单车被压坏或损毁,令这些车主很是心痛。 民主党秘书长徐顺全也在脸书分享大树倒塌惨况。他指出,这些大树可能已经老了或腐烂了,附近也曾发生几次类似事件。 他也质问碧山- 大巴窑市镇理事会以及国家公园局,为了民众的安全,他们理应作更大的努力,检查这些树木的健康情况。 And this just happened at my place…

客工社媒帖文分享喜讯  从20人挤一房困境“解脱”

原本睡着20人的一间房间,经过新加坡人力部等单位的合作,客工高兴地分享“现在只有四人同室了”。 署名Kalam Abul的客工,在脸书群组True Life of Singapore Migrant Workers帖文,分享他终于可以从20人一房的命运中“解脱”了。 帖文中指出,他们目前四人共享一间房间,并且获得足够的设施。“我们万分感谢新加坡人、社区工作者以及政府。” 帖文获得网民纷纷留言按赞,并感谢他的分享,为他们的生活环境能够获得改善而感到高兴。 其实,在冠状病毒19于我国肆虐之前,客工居住环境就已经是一项课题,直至客工宿舍疫情爆发,才备受重视。人力部长杨莉明称,要求客工宿舍落实严谨措施,提升安全距离措施,以减低客工宿舍的感染风险。 然而,早在3月23日,本地客工组织“客工亦重(TWC2)”主席德比弗地,就已在《海峡时报》论坛警告,一些工友住在一间容纳12至20人的房间,且搭罗厘去上班也是肩并肩搭车,都不符合社交安全距离的措施。…

Police issues warning against plans to protest in Singapore over current situation in Myanmar

The police have issued a warning against plans to hold protests in…

情义之家新报告:外籍女佣仍面对强迫劳动问题

新加坡客工组织情义之家(HOME)与香港反人口走私组织Liberty Shared合作,于本月15日发布了一份报告,揭露在我国的外籍女佣面对三大问题:过度劳动、面对言语羞辱和薪资纠纷。 根据国际劳工组织定义,若以任何惩罚相威胁,强迫任何人从事违反其意愿的一切劳动或服务且不能随意离职,即是强迫劳动,其中包括限制劳工行动‘克扣工资、恐吓和心理压迫等等。 雇主为女佣申请工作准证,有责任确保女佣遵守准证条例,包括婚姻限制、强制医疗检查并确保女佣不涉及任何非法活动,雇主还得缴交五千元的保证金。 报告指出,正因为这些条例,反而鼓励雇主严厉地监控女佣的生活起居,有者甚至面对暴力、禁食、被辱骂和过度劳动的威胁。 对此报告呼吁人力部应把就业法令(EA)对基本劳动权利,例如工时、病假、加班等规定和保障,延伸保障外籍女佣群体。 女佣Indah被雇主克扣四万元工资 在报告发布会上,情义之家也引用数个真实面对强迫劳动的女佣个案。例如在本地工作十年的Indah(化名),被雇主克扣超过四万元工资,也不被允许使用手机,几乎七年没和家人联系。 另一女佣Ella每日工作17小时,每月只有一日休假,即使向雇主申诉手痛,仍被迫每日用手清洗雇主一家的衣物,还遭受言语霸凌。 Myaing则遭雇主长期言语霸凌、曾被禁食和被令睡在朱家阳台。 Rosa则每日工作19小时无休,她不满工作环境要求转换,却被雇主威胁甚至禁止他离开家门。Rosa试图爬窗户逃走结果摔断腿。但是住院期间还要上手铐。警员甚至没告知他雇主是否又被调查,还对她企图自杀的行为发出严厉警告。 在一些个案中,人力部裁定女佣投诉无效,坚持要把女佣送返代理公司,结果遭索讨费用才能返回自己的国家。…