The evolution of Singapore internet policy

• Main Authors: Ang, Abel, Yeow, Adrian
• Other Authors: Ang, Peng Hwa
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Mass media::Media law, ethics and policy
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/14786
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In July 1996 Singapore became the first country in the world to have national legislation regulating Internet content. Using the policy research method of focused synthesis, these researchers surveyed data from a wide variety of sources and then discussed this data with various stalteholders that had a hand in the development of the Internet regulations. The objective of the paper is to study the formulation process behind the Internet regulations, with the intention of casting light on Singapore's Internet policy as it now stands. This study found that Singapore's Internet policy was based on the following six principles: 1) A concern towards not over-regulating the Internet; 2) the extension of existing laws into the realm of the Internet; 3) developing Singapore's "civic immune system;" 4) accepting that Internet policy is evolutionary and must react to existing social realities; 5) regulating the broadcast function of the Internet; 6) that future policy development is derived from the present policy making framework. The Internet policy malting process closely followed Quah7s traditional policy making model. This study also found that Singapore's Internet policy is primarily directed at local content and was formulated with minimal input from industry players.