THE much-cherished free flow of information on the Internet is not just under threat in China, where an outcry over blocked websites has led to a relaxing of restrictions.
The government of South Korea, the world's most wired country, is preparing a Cyber Defamation Law. It sees it as part of a drive to rein in the excesses of its Netizens, and to bring some control to the information - or disinformation - that bombards the nation's computer screens.
Funny what a change a few months can bring. The mass access to the Internet, which helped ex-Hyundai CEO Lee Myung Bak to his resounding win at the presidential polls, became the instrument that helped shatter that popularity just five months into office.
So last month,MrLee told Parliament:
"We have to guard against 'infodemics', inwhich inaccurate, false information is disseminated, prompting social unrest that spreads like an epidemic."
The Cyber Defamation Law, which the Justice Ministry is working on, is meant to counter the fact that "we lack the means to effectively deal with harmful Internet messages", a ministry official said.
The Korean Communications Commission, which regulates the industry, has come up with its own rules to oblige portals to suspend sites stepping outside the limits and force websites to use the real names of anyone posting comments.
The commission says the measures are to improve security and stem false information.
During the furore surrounding the agreement to re-import United States beef, long banned due to concerns over mad-cow disease, much of the fear had been fanned by blogs and discussion boards. This helped trigger mass protests.
The government says its concern goes beyond attacks on its policies, and that rules are needed to bring a largely uncontrolled medium in line with its traditional counterparts.
But voices are rising to say the government moves are attempts to erode freedom.
"The regulations violate the autonomy of the Internet," said Lee Han Ki, senior editor at popular citizen news website OhMyNews. -- REUTERS
