Cyberspace law, role of Internet focus of forum

How to police cyberspace is a work in progress. With the world using the Internet as a means of expression more and more, global leaders met in Seoul last week to discuss the role of the Internet as a new platform for democracy. At the International Conference on the Media and Democracy in the Knowledge Society, held Sept. 27-29 in Seoul, academics, government officials and industry personnel discussed benefits and problems created by the rise of the Internet as a new form of media. The event was organized by the Korean National Commission for Unesco, the Korea Press Foundation and the Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity and Promotion in Seoul. On the final day, participants adopted the Seoul Resolution, which contained several recommendations. First, they noted that the Internet is necessary for enhancing the free flow of information and democracy, but that the digital divide among nations and societies and groups is complex. The participants called for governments, especially those in the Asia- Pacific region, to protect and promote cultural diversity. They also pointed out that the government should form legal protection against the misuse of surveillance. John D.H. Downing, director of the Global Media Research Center and a professor of mass communications at Southern Illinois University, characterized the Internet as an alternative media and suggested that it may seem small, but should not be overlooked. “Judging alternative media impact solely by measuring the vastness of its coverage is akin to judging nanotechnologies by their size and finding them to be failures,” he said. As a new forum for free speech, the Internet has opened a brave new world of influence and power. Kim Gyong-ho of Cheju University in Korea said online services, including portals and Internet-based newspapers, provide forums where users can comment and anonymously reply to news articles. That has contributed to enhancing freedom of expression in cyberspace, but remarks posted on forums often defame individuals and infringe on privacy. “In heated debates over the merits of a laissez-faire approach versus more regulation of online activity, advocates support a strict legislative enforcement as an effective tool to significantly reduce online violence,” he said. “Opponents argue that it would lead to a severe chilling of freedom of expression, and serve as a means of surveillance for the government.” Guan Shijie, a journalism professor at Peking University in Beijing, said that because of the Internet’s global impact, international laws on freedom of expression must be revised. Mr. Guan noted several contradictory clauses in current international law. For instance, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion, including imparting information through any media. However, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights says that freedom of expression should be restrained from harming national security, public order and public health. Mr. Guan said international laws should protect cultural diversity and not make judgments on subjective values such as morality. “Korean people, for example, like to eat dog meat; it doesn’t involve anything regarding morality. Most Americans, on the other hand, believe dog is man’s best friend and find it unimaginable to eat the meat of a friend, and it’s definitely immoral to do so. “The world is characterized by diverse cultures. Morality is part of a culture and the standards are as diverse as the world is,” he said. “As we are now living in a digital age, a domestic affair may acquire global significance. And because communication is closely related to culture, it is much easier to incur intercultural conflict today than it was 10 years ago.” Wu Mei, a professor at the University of Macau, pointed out that in China, Internet forums have played an increasingly important role in shaping the country’s political views. “Online debate has been an influential force in a number of major political events, including the massive anti-Japanese demonstration in April of last year,” she said. by Wohn Dong-hee