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Online censorship has no home here
Is the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) giving up on wooing young voters? The
party would adamantly deny it, but it definitely looks that way in light of the
KMT government¡¦s latest move: Attempting to rein in college students¡¦ freedom to
participate openly in the discussion boards at the online Professional
Technology Temple, or PTT as it is better known among local Internet users.
The site, managed by National Taiwan University, is the nation¡¦s largest
academic bulletin board system. Popular among college students, PTT hosts
thousands of discussion boards, serving as a forum for young people to share
their thoughts and take note of others¡¦ opinions.
Shockingly, however, it has been revealed that the Ministry of Education on Oct.
21 issued a notice to the university asking it to review and strengthen its
management of PTT¡¦s Gossip Board, which the ministry alleged was filled with
articles on politics that were penned by staffers from political parties.
Shame on the ministry for issuing such a notice, which it described as a ¡§mere
friendly reminder,¡¨ because it instantly begs the question from any
rights-conscious Internet users as to what authority the ministry thinks it has
to restrict students from exercising their right to free speech online.
Accusing those taking part in the Gossip Board and chatting about politics of
being subversive moles planted by political parties is ridiculous.
Many academics and adults have often lamented that young people nowadays are
indifferent to what is happening around them, that they lack ideals and indulge
their selfish desires in online gaming. So shouldn¡¦t the ministry take it as an
encouraging sign that there are college students who do pay attention to the
serious matters happening around them and care enough to spend time discussing
those issues online on the so-called Gossip Board?
The logic behind the ministry¡¦s decision to send the notice is perplexing. Does
it wish for the nation¡¦s youth to not have their own opinions on serious
subjects such as politics, wanting them only to comment on gossip like who
actress Barbie Hsu (®}º³´D, better known as Big S) is engaged to or what designer¡¦s
dresses the movie stars are going to flaunt on the red carpet at the upcoming
Golden Horse Awards?
In view of the initiative taken by Taichung prosecutors to look into the posting
of a spoof version of a campaign video for Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (J§Ó±j) ¡X which
the prosecutors later denied was a formal probe ¡X it is no wonder there are
voices expressing concern about whether these are signs of the nation regressing
to a past when people¡¦s freedom of speech and expression were censured.
So far, the university has not issued any formal statement in response to the
ministry¡¦s notice.
Just like it was shameful for the ministry to send out the notice in the first
place, it would be equally disgraceful if the university were to blindly comply
with the ministry regarding the matter without raising a single objection.
As for the students, they must not be intimidated nor allow their views to be
repressed or their rights trampled. It would truly be depressing if they were to
comply with the ministry¡¦s demand without putting up a fight, as it would
suggest that the nation¡¦s youth have been disenfranchised and freedom of speech
and expression are headed down the road of regression, leading to gagged mouths
and blindfolds.
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