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Internet Regulations
Overview
The level of internet regulations and restrictions in Asia seem to preside over the extend of rule the individual government has over their country. Basically, the more control the government has to wield over its people, the stricter and harsher the regulations of the World Wide Web (WWW). North Korean and Burma are notably the strictest and exhaustive in terms of regulations. One clear outcome of such controls is the emergence of an “intranet-like" internet.
1. Burma
As the Burmese military junta faces immense international pressure over its rule; political content is the primary source of information to be filtered. Internet content directly regulated by the 2000 Web Regulations strictly condemns any form of content regarding politics or any issues that are “detrimental to the interest of Burma” which ultimately, points to the way in which the country is governed. The military junta regulates and restricts access by imposing strict checks, as well as making internet access expensive for the average Burmese.
2. China
China has come a long way in the area of internet filtering since 1994, when the internet was first introduced commercially. The Chinese government holds tight control over China’s media and its General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) as well as Public of Ministry of Public Security regulates. In short, China’s filtering regime seems to be headed in the direction of a political rather than cultural motivation although pornographic sites and sites deemed “inappropriate” are also heavily filtered. Violating the internet censors will either receive a warning or be fined a maximum of 5,000RMB. Serious offenders will have their network access terminated for up to six months.
3. Iran
Iran imposes strict regulations and censorship on its news media with regards to their religions, morals, national security and anti-revolutionary activities. The system of media controls are politically motivated at times and arrests of media personnel are frequent. However, the internet platform in Iran enjoys higher freedom relatively to other Asian countries despite the seemingly uncompromising stand on its filtering regime.
4. North Korea
North Korea's internet access is one of the most limited and is frequently referred to as the worst "Internet Black Hole" of Asia. Under the regime of Kim Jung II, the community of internet users amounts to only mere thousands, with elites and foreigners making up almost the entire population of this online community. Cost is the tool that the state imposes to deter ordinary average users from accessing the internet. Available internet cafes offer connectivity and internet classes at a steep price of more than 7 times the average monthly wage in North Korea.
5. Vietnam
Like the rest of the countries discussed, the Vietnamese government maintains tight control over internet usage. However, what remains interesting is the trend of tightening control over the internet. In 2006, the Decree of Cultural and Information Activities stated the crime of “denying revolutionary achievements” as punishable by law, with authorities reviewing articles by journalists before they are being published.
To date, it is unlawful to use internet resources and host materials that destabilize Vietnam’s security, social order, or interferes with the state's Domain Name Systems (DNS) servers. Although Vietnam claims that censoring efforts are directed towards safeguarding the country against obscene or sexually explicit content, most of its filtering efforts are actually aimed at blocking sites with "politically or religiously sensitive material that could undermine Vietnam’s one-party system”.
The level of internet regulations and restrictions in Asia seem to preside over the extend of rule the individual government has over their country. Basically, the more control the government has to wield over its people, the stricter and harsher the regulations of the World Wide Web (WWW). North Korean and Burma are notably the strictest and exhaustive in terms of regulations. One clear outcome of such controls is the emergence of an “intranet-like" internet.
1. Burma
As the Burmese military junta faces immense international pressure over its rule; political content is the primary source of information to be filtered. Internet content directly regulated by the 2000 Web Regulations strictly condemns any form of content regarding politics or any issues that are “detrimental to the interest of Burma” which ultimately, points to the way in which the country is governed. The military junta regulates and restricts access by imposing strict checks, as well as making internet access expensive for the average Burmese.
2. China
China has come a long way in the area of internet filtering since 1994, when the internet was first introduced commercially. The Chinese government holds tight control over China’s media and its General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP) as well as Public of Ministry of Public Security regulates. In short, China’s filtering regime seems to be headed in the direction of a political rather than cultural motivation although pornographic sites and sites deemed “inappropriate” are also heavily filtered. Violating the internet censors will either receive a warning or be fined a maximum of 5,000RMB. Serious offenders will have their network access terminated for up to six months.
3. Iran
Iran imposes strict regulations and censorship on its news media with regards to their religions, morals, national security and anti-revolutionary activities. The system of media controls are politically motivated at times and arrests of media personnel are frequent. However, the internet platform in Iran enjoys higher freedom relatively to other Asian countries despite the seemingly uncompromising stand on its filtering regime.
4. North Korea
North Korea's internet access is one of the most limited and is frequently referred to as the worst "Internet Black Hole" of Asia. Under the regime of Kim Jung II, the community of internet users amounts to only mere thousands, with elites and foreigners making up almost the entire population of this online community. Cost is the tool that the state imposes to deter ordinary average users from accessing the internet. Available internet cafes offer connectivity and internet classes at a steep price of more than 7 times the average monthly wage in North Korea.
5. Vietnam
Like the rest of the countries discussed, the Vietnamese government maintains tight control over internet usage. However, what remains interesting is the trend of tightening control over the internet. In 2006, the Decree of Cultural and Information Activities stated the crime of “denying revolutionary achievements” as punishable by law, with authorities reviewing articles by journalists before they are being published.
To date, it is unlawful to use internet resources and host materials that destabilize Vietnam’s security, social order, or interferes with the state's Domain Name Systems (DNS) servers. Although Vietnam claims that censoring efforts are directed towards safeguarding the country against obscene or sexually explicit content, most of its filtering efforts are actually aimed at blocking sites with "politically or religiously sensitive material that could undermine Vietnam’s one-party system”.
thenhuiloo_chloe |
Latest page update: made by thenhuiloo_chloe
, May 30 2008, 2:57 AM EDT
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Edited by thenhuiloo_chloe
124 words added 173 words deleted view changes - complete history) |
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Keyword tags:
free speech
interet filtering
internet censorship
internet regulations
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