New book confirms ‘minimal’ internet filtering by Singapore government

October 1st, 2007

Many countries around the world block or filter Internet content, denying access to information – often about politics, but also relating to sexuality, culture, or religion – that they deem too sensitive for ordinary citizens. Access Denied, a new book from MIT Press, documents and analyzes Internet filtering practices in over three dozen countries, offering the first rigorously conducted study of an accelerating trend. The book (edited by Ronald Deibert, John Palfrey, Rafal Rohozinski and Jonathan Zittrain) is based on research by the OpenNet Initiative. Confirming other research, ONI says: “The government of the Republic of Singapore engages in minimal Internet filtering, blocking only a small set of pornographic Web sites as a symbol of disapproval of their contents. However, the state employs a combination of licensing controls and legal pressures to regulate Internet access and to limit the presence of objectionable content and conduct online.” Its full Singapore profile is available here.