Bloggers propose an Internet Freedom Act

…amongst other things.

See: “Bloggers’ Group Proposes Sweeping Changes In Internet Regulation,” by Choo Zheng Xi and Alex Au [media release]. theonlinecitizen, 18 Apr 2008.

A group of committed bloggers wil submit recommendations to the Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts within the next few days, on the subject of itnernet regulation. This open letter, which will be released to the public at the same time, will call for sweeping changes to bring Singapore in line with international norms and the reality of the new technology.

Hat tip – Singapore Surf.

Despite a heavy head from the Mac meetup and a lack of sleep, the first thing that sprang to mind was Sintercom. And then it was the familiar issue of the quality of forest reserve management:

A responsible wildlife researcher finds a nature reserve without clear rules an unsavoury prospect. The reason? No one is sure when park rangers will decide, arbitrarily, to throw them out. The visitors who are left to practise in the reserve are all poachers! These anarchic individuals visit the forest to derive profit at the expense of significant impact! Meanwhile, the health of the ecosystem not only degenerates, no one really knows its condition – reserve managers are not getting feedback from wildlife biologists who would have been working in the area. Researchers worth their salt are now all working in other forests around the region or have switched fields. Only poachers roam the forest at night.

The management of the nature reserve that decides to declare clear rules, which it enforces will find it self in a different situation. Add to that advise from wildlife biology practitioners and users about perceived transgressions. This community, familiar with wildlife biology studies, is able to provide a fair and realistic evaluation. With these rules in place, researchers return to conduct forest studies. The result? A maturing management system that results ultimately in a healthy ecosystem.

Simplistic? Missed the point? I’ll sleep on it and find out what the bloggers really meant to say when their document is eventually released.

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