---
title: '02 Regulating the Media Industry'
disqus: hackmd
---

:::info
ST2502 Computer Law & Investigation
:::

Lecture 02 Regulating the Media Industry
===

<style>
img{
/* border: 2px solid red; */
margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;
width: 80%;
display: block;
}
</style>

## Table of Contents

[TOC]

Overview
---
### Role of SG Media
- media contribute to national dev by informing, educating & entertaining
- media is channel for public feedback
- provides avenue for business to reach out to customers
- Eg. Ads

### IMDA
- Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)
- used to be MDA (media dev authority)
- merged with IDA to form IMDA in 1 Oct 2016
- develops and regulates converging infocomm & media sectors, safeguarding the interests of consumers & fostering pro-enterprise regulations

### Principles of Censorship
- safeguard moral values & social stability while allowing individuals the freedom to create & express themselves


Regulatory Framework
---
### Statutory Regulation
- AKA general legislation
- legislation that apply to all mediums

#### Example
- rap video by local YouTube star Preetipls alleged to contain offensive content

#### Sedition Act (Cap 290)
- creates offence of sedition
- sedition - activities that bring gov/courts into hatred/contempt to raise discontent & dissatisfaction among citizens
- Eg. in 2005, 2 bloggers charged under Sedition Act for making racist remarks
- their racist content sparked heated discussion online

#### Official Secrets Act (Cap 213)
- prevent disclosure of official documents & info
- Eg. vid taken by phone of PC leaked online in March 2014
- showed how accused breached the immigration checkpt at Woodlands
- now under official secrets act investigation

#### Films Act (Cap 107)
- relate to posession, importation, making, distribution & exhibition of films
- new classfication + consumer advice
- G (general)
- suitable for everyone
- PG (parental guidance)
- may not be suitable for children
- PG13 (parental guidance 13)
- suitable <13 yo & above but parental guidance advised
- NC16 (no children under 16 yo)
- mature themes like gansterism & drug abuse
- M18 (Mature 18)
- mature themes like prostitution & homosexuality
- R21 (Restricted 21)
- 21 yo or above
- recent change to films act extends IMDA's powers to enter, search & seize evidence without a warrant for "serious offences"
- Eg. films prohibited on public grounds, unlicensed public exhibition & formalising co-classification scheme
- on location filming
- within private or commercial buildings, permission from owner required
- hospitals - name of healthcare institution shown in closing credits as act of acknowledgement
- S9, Private Hospital & Medical Clinics Act
- within public areas, no permission required as long as no intrusion of private property & keeps off roads

#### Newspaper & printing access act (cap 206)
- licensing of newspaper companies & related

#### undesirable publications act (cap 338)
- prevent importation, distro, reproduction of undesirable publication that are obscene or objectionable (Eg. horror, crime, cruelty etc.)
- Eg. MCI's ban of 3 books for having extremist religious views

### Industry Self Regulation
- IMDA (& industry self-regulatory bodies Eg. ASAS for advertising industry) maintains light-touch approach towards content regulation, working closely with public & industry on media contents & standards
- code of conduct
- singapore code of advertising practice
- content guidelines for imported publications
- internet code of practice
- ASAS (advertising standards authority of singapore)
- singapore code of advertising practice
- advert shld have hallmarks of legality, honesty, decency & truthfullness
- shld not undermine social & fam values
- shld formulate fair business practices

#### Industry self regulation codes of conduct
- __Example__ - Singapore's advertising authority investigating whether Huawei breached industry guidelines in its promotion of a smartphone deal that led to chaotic scenes at its stores across the island last Friday (July 26).
- didnt comply with Singapore Code of Advertising Practice guidelines on the availability of products and bait advertising
- IMDA
- content guidelines for imported publications (2016) - restricted publications scheme
- retailers cannot sell lifestyle magazine with adult-interest or mature content for young
- must be shrink-wrapped with consumer advice "unsuitable for young"
- placed at high shelves/locations not accessible for young
- not allowed if erode the core moral values of society including but not limited to promotion of permissive & alternative lifestyles
- internet code of conduct
- purpose to ensure broadcasting service cannot include anything against public interest or order, national harmony or which offends against good taste or decency
- internet service/content providers shld use best efforts to ensure prohibied material not broadcast via internet to users in sg
- prohibited material is material that's objetionable on grounds of public interest, public morality, public order, public security, national harmony or prohibited by sg laws

Conclusion
---

###### tags: `CLI` `DISM` `School` `Notes`