Shooting the messenger

There has never before been anything quite like the Internet. In terms of growth, harnessing of technology and popularity, the worldwide computer network is unprecedented. Tens of millions of persons are "hooked up" to the Internet, including tens of thousands of students, business people and ordinary citizens. The massive expansion of the Internet has been matched only by the great attention accorded it. There is rarely a day when this newspaper does not have one or more stories on the developing computer network.

Much of the attention addresses concerns about the Internet. There are many. They range from social concerns to economic changes now possible, such as online shopping and inter- continental telephone calls which bypass the telephone companies. They also address real and possible abuses of the Internet. The Internet can and does carry pornography and political diatribes including support for hateful movements such as neo-Nazism.

In recent weeks, there has been pressure on ASEAN governments to crack down somehow on the Internet. The Singapore government, following its heavy restrictions on use of the Internet, tried to convince other countries to follow suit. In response, the Malaysian government announced it had no intention of censoring the Internet, although Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad suggested an international body to fight pornography. Our own leaders have been silent on the issue.

In George Orwell's chilling novel of the future 1984 the government controlled all information -- much like a Burma of today. Freedom of information is a linchpin to the freedom of nations and people. One must wonder what outrages of the past might have been avoided had the Internet been available. Would Hitler ever have come to power had all Germans known of his evil schemes? Could totalitarians have seized control of the Thai government if all citizens knew of the dangers of military dictatorship?

Pornographers, paedophiles and violent political movements must be rooted out and destroyed. This can only happen if everyone is made responsible for his actions. Those who abuse the Internet should be singled out and punished. This allows freedom to use the Internet for the vast majority of decent citizens.

-- The Bangkok Post