When the blogging platform first became popular, it was easy and simple to create a blog with Blogger and various other blogging platforms. Anyone can own a blog! Anyone can write anything on their blog! Although this fact hasn’t changed now, but something else has. Bloggers are beginning to feel a certain sense of responsibility towards their readers.

I suppose that’s the difference between writing an e-diary and writing a blog in 2008. Although I think the lines are still blurry, but trends have emerged and bloggers’ words are taken more seriously now as compared to just two years ago.

I find myself censoring my own blog entries more and more. I start to think about the consequences of posting each article, be it responsibility towards my readers or abiding by Singapore’s laws.

The blogging platform was once thought to be our new found freedom of ‘speech’. In places like the states, they already have the First Amendment, but in a repressed Asian society like Singapore, we thought we were given a new voice. Imagine little mermaid finally getting back her voice after being muted for a long time! Hooray! Under the sea, under the sea~~! So us Singaporeans started singing and singing in our blogs. Until the government steps in to try to mute us again.

I don’t believe that the government’s intentions are bad, we need to promote responsible blogging.

I wouldn’t be able to imagine if traditional media were given the liberty to defame or accuse anyone they like for the entire nation to see. People’s lives, companies, reputations could be severely damaged on a whim of a depressed and unhappy editor.

I have chose not to publish at least 10 blog entries in the past year because they were either too offensive or too political. Too bad you won’t get to read them

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I didn’t realise this before, Sabrina noted that some people might have been provoked by me mentioning that Singapore has no free speech. Some, silly people, might even feel that if I am against free speech that I should keep quiet and not voice my opinion.

I understand how the proposition “intolerant against intolerance” might sound ironic and funny, but being able to blog about my opinions does not mean that we have free speech.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Singapore is ranked 141 out of 169 countries in the freedom of press index. If you still don’t believe me, the Singapore opposition politically figures getting jailed and bankrupt should give you some hint. If you still don’t believe me, go blog racist and hate inciting blogs and see if you end up in jail like the 3 other foolish bloggers.

Now that we have established that Singapore does not have much freedom of speech, here’s why my post to call for Shadowfox’s head does not cross that line. My post simply called for a ban of a particular person, like how people can call for ban or unban of chewing gums, gay sex, pornography. It’s merely censorship. The religious people are usually pro censorship because the media’s censorship guideline has been slacking every year, and it reflects on how people’s morals have been more “tolerant” of sex, drugs, vulgarities and violence. I’m sure we don’t really want our children growing up accepting these vices as normal. Yes, perhaps showing too much homosexual themed media might brainwash the next generation that it is ok to be homosexual as well.

If there are still people out there, after reading this post, still think that Singapore has freedom of speech and if Singapore doesn’t that I should shut up, then I guess there’s no other way for me to enlighten you. -sigh-

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