The following report is from a September 1996 article in the Encarta Yearbook.

Internet: Asian Countries Agree to Limit Internet Access

The seven-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met September 2, 1996, in Singapore, to discuss how to police the Internet. Although the group agreed on the need to control the explosion of information available on the Internet, it was unable to reach a common policy for regulating access to the global computer network.

Also on Encarta •  10 tips for building your English vocabulary •  Alternatives to the M.B.A. •  GPS for students •  Saving for college •  Presidential Myths Quiz •  Coffee break: Recharge your brain

At the end of the three-day meeting, ASEAN government officials and industry experts issued a statement emphasizing the need to block access to Web sites that run “counter to our cherished values, traditions and culture.” ASEAN comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The meeting was the first time the Southeast Asian countries had tried to formulate a common approach to the Internet. Many of the ASEAN-member countries were concerned about the dissemination of pornography and antigovernment views over the Internet, the influence and perceived bias of the Western media, and the erosion of Asian values.

The forum, which followed a meeting of ASEAN information ministers earlier in the year, concluded that each country should develop its own regulatory approach to cyberspace. The ASEAN delegates agreed to share information and their experiences with national regulations and “cyberlaws.”

Also on MSN •  Shark Week on the Discovery Channel •  MSN Shopping: Best books for the season •  MSN Careers: Nail that job interview •  Today's news on MSNBC

The forum was unable to agree on a regulatory framework for the region because of differing political views regarding censorship. Singapore, which has an estimated 150,000 Web users, is the first ASEAN country to impose regulations on access to the Internet. The city-state requires Internet providers to block access to pornographic sites and regulate political and religious discussion. On the other hand, the Philippines and Thailand support more liberal policies, calling for self-regulation by Internet access providers and minimal government intervention.

In a related development, China in early September began blocking more than a hundred Web sites that the government considered obscene or politically dangerous. Many major publications from the United States were blocked, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Cable News Network (CNN).

Source: Encarta Yearbook, September 1996.

Appears in

Internet