Blogger Registration Act - A Follow-Up

The report, "Bloggers don't need to register after all", was published on the The Straits Times on Friday.

A copy of the report has been uploaded, accessible above, for reasons of completeness to the debate. Apologies for the two days' delay in processing it.

Bloggers Anonymous - A Follow-Up

Hou, The Students' Notebook

The Straits Times has decided to do a follow-up twice - Sunday's web feature, and a follow-up debate in YOUTHink. It is reproduced here for completeness :


Let's talk about Bloggers Anonymous - YOUTHink, July 3 2006 (click to enlarge)

For some who require context, Ephraim Loy's mention of "(commenting) on a particular blog to this paper's Forum page...my blog was hit by more than 500 comments" refers to this fisaco. He probably sees the comment box in a BBS manner, that is it can be regulated by technical restrictions.

In genenral, the letters have strongly rebuked most of the sweeping statements Mr de Souza has made in his original letter, and attempt to provide some explanation on the reasons behind anonymity. Some of the points by a few writers are a re-hash of our reply letter to ST, so I shall not repeat here.

And in the meantime, I find it...weird that even Mr Brown is under attack for using pseudonym, de Souza-style?!

"As for means testing for special school fees, we understand mr brown's disappointment as the father of an autistic child.....Instead of a diatribe mr brown should offer constructive criticism and alternatives. And he should come out from behind his pseudonym to defend his views openly."

Doesn't everyone already know his real name (and perhaps even where he lives)? And why the ad-hominem attack on him?

100% Seditious, or Money Back Guaranteed

Hou, The Students' Notebook

Just as we see a local blogger getting into trouble with the law over a few Christ cartoons, one game developer in America decides to go all out to create their ultimate Christan game (article contains 5 parts).


"You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state" (from article "The Purpose Driven Life Takers", Talk to Action)

Should I dial 999 and cry to the Police that the game is Seditious and could cause anarchy by damaging the fabric of religious and racial harmony, that should be dealt with vigorously under the law?

If the Sedition Act does not discriminate, then this form of cyber-terrorism will probably never make the shores of Singapore. Surprisingly it was even talked about in The Sunday Times, but it was more about its related spyware problems. (Spy Game, Abdul Karim, July 2 2006).