Impossible to block all undesirable sites: Minister
By Tessa Wong
GIVEN the borderless nature of the Internet, it is not possible for the Government to block every undesirable website, said Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew yesterday in Parliament.
But he added that, where necessary, the Government will block some pornographic and other undesirable sites.
He was responding to Madam Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC), who asked whether the ministry could block pornographic sites, and whether Internet service providers (ISPs) could provide free blocking services.
Mr Lui noted that there are already 100 sites blocked, as 'a symbolic statement of our community's stand on harmful and undesirable content on the Internet'.
He added that ISPs will be required to actively market their Internet filtering services to consumers who purchase or renew their Internet subscriptions.
This, he said, would be more beneficial than providing free filters, 'as parents can learn about and understand the benefits of such filtering services, and exercise parental responsibility to protect their children'.
Replying to another question about the prevalence of pornographic websites, he noted that it was difficult to say how easy it would be to stumble upon such sites. Users either access links sent by others, or search these sites out for themselves, he noted.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah GRC) asked if there have been any public surveys on what kind of controls should be in place.
Mr Lui said a Censorship Review Committee survey last year found that 71 per cent of Internet users who are parents with young children are not subscribers of Internet filters.
Of these, about half were aware that they could subscribe but chose not to. Their reasons were that they are already teaching their children how to navigate the Internet, already monitoring their children's Internet usage, or are giving limited Internet access to their children.
By Tessa Wong
GIVEN the borderless nature of the Internet, it is not possible for the Government to block every undesirable website, said Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew yesterday in Parliament.
But he added that, where necessary, the Government will block some pornographic and other undesirable sites.
He was responding to Madam Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC), who asked whether the ministry could block pornographic sites, and whether Internet service providers (ISPs) could provide free blocking services.
Mr Lui noted that there are already 100 sites blocked, as 'a symbolic statement of our community's stand on harmful and undesirable content on the Internet'.
He added that ISPs will be required to actively market their Internet filtering services to consumers who purchase or renew their Internet subscriptions.
This, he said, would be more beneficial than providing free filters, 'as parents can learn about and understand the benefits of such filtering services, and exercise parental responsibility to protect their children'.
Replying to another question about the prevalence of pornographic websites, he noted that it was difficult to say how easy it would be to stumble upon such sites. Users either access links sent by others, or search these sites out for themselves, he noted.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah GRC) asked if there have been any public surveys on what kind of controls should be in place.
Mr Lui said a Censorship Review Committee survey last year found that 71 per cent of Internet users who are parents with young children are not subscribers of Internet filters.
Of these, about half were aware that they could subscribe but chose not to. Their reasons were that they are already teaching their children how to navigate the Internet, already monitoring their children's Internet usage, or are giving limited Internet access to their children.
