Accountable Bloggers?

Should bloggers be accountable for what they say?

Should they be charged or held responsible for what they may say?

Should they face the consequences or be let of under the pretext of Freedom of Speech?

With millions of people excerising the option to blog, many controvercial statements and unacceptable statements are being lashed out by people. Some governments like Singapore and China hold the bloggers accountable for their action and don't care much about the 'Freedom of Speech' blanket while other govenments may be more liberal?

In Singapore, 2 or 3 bloggers were arrested recently and charged in court for the statements they made on their blog? What were these statements? They were racist statements saying some degrading stuff about Malays. The government felt it was a matter of threat to The racial harmony and wanted to set an example that one does not have the freedom of speech even on his blog. The blog was censored and the contents were not reveled to the the public.

Did the government do the right thing?

Personally i dont think so. The papers and other mediums of media are being censored already and people should have an outlet to express their views openly. One or two people saying something on a blog would definetely not create chaos in the country. And if it does, the racial harmony doesn not exiast as a small spark, like a blog, can start a huge chaos!

I think the bloggers have a moral responisibility to not say harsh things about any group of people or idea on the internet. If you're against it then fine, but there is no reason to spread the hate, because hate only brings chaos and unharmony.

I really do think that the freedom of speech blanket is running out of room, freedom comes with a price of responsibility and if these people don't respect freedom of speech then they dont deserve it either.

Bloggers have full freedom of speech. But how any blog site admin wishes to deal with some anti- social element completely depends on each site. Each site admin decides who they consider as anti - social and whats their boundry. Example :India-forums doesn't tolerate hate, racist, vulgar bloggers. While many sites don't have issue with that, but may have issue with some thing else. This gives a blogger an option to go to another site that tolerates him. Also if a certain site is friendly towards racism and it bothers you, you too have every right to leave from that site and never return.

I visited some most awfull "anti- India" site recently. I can't do anything about it except never re-visit it.

A blogger can open "my space" and speak what ever is on their mind. Can we control that. or rather should we control it ?????? I don't think so personally.


Edited by Aparna_BD - 24 August 2006 at 8:44pm

Yes Aparna, while sites don't mind, it is countries that take the action against bloggers. And I think thats whats bonkers!

Freedom of speech comes with a responsibity - all of us know that.
I think it is remarkable that the govt could actually keep track such things and take the people to task.
From what I have read, those remarks were extremely derogatory. And if such things can be nipped in the bud, well and good, before it gets blown up into communist clashes.


Edited by mist - 24 August 2006 at 8:57pm