IP: SEAN Countries Agree On Need To Monitor Internet (some

[Dave Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

SEAN Countries Agree On Need To Monitor Internet 09/04/96




SINGAPORE, 1996 SEP 4 (NB) -- By Martyn Williams. Officials of the
governments of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have
agreed on the need to control information available on the Internet, but
failed to agree on a common approach. The conclusion was reached at the end
of a three-day Internet forum, the first such forum held by ASEAN.


Most at risk was Asian culture and the group supported the need for a close
watch to be kept on the network to ensure Asian values and culture are not
eroded. ASEAN groups together the nations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.


Despite agreements to regulate the network, the different cultures of each
country meant common ground was impossible to find, "The forum agreed that
the appropriate regulatory framework would depend on the culture and legal
system of each particular country," said the statement.


ASEAN brings together countries with strong support for censorship and
regulation, such as Singapore, and those in favor of a very light handed
approach, such as the Philippines. Singapore brings in new regulations in a
few days that will require service providers to block access to certain
material, Web sites, and discussion groups. The Philippines has said police
control of the Internet is something they are against as free speech is
most important.


The view of the Philippines was supported by Larry Irving, US assistant
secretary of commerce for communications and information. Speaking in
Singapore, he said, "Censoring the net is one of the worst things you can
do. You run the risk of slowing down the development of technology because
the capacity for computer power within a country will be used (to try to
censor)."


In addition to government taking a part in regulation, the group also
called for parents to learn about the network and become involved in
monitoring what their children view.