ST gets serious about blogs (Part 3)
Part 1|2|3
My third and final post on the trio of ST articles on blogs. As the lead article's title ("Will S'pore politics go to the blogs?") indicates, the writers' focus is ultimately on the possible political implications of the blogs: "The million-dollar question: Will blogs have much political impact in Singapore?" Such a question naturally arises given both recent overseas--primarily US--and local developments.
US Situation
Chief among the overseas development would be the prominence that blogs managed to achieve in post 9/11 as media critics persistently calling the mainstream media to account for its excesses; and most importantly, during the 2004 US Elections where they are perceived to be swaying public opinion and, especially, consolidating the bases of both the Republicans and Democrats. The perceived power of the blogs is closely watched across the Atlantic, where, for instance, the UK Conservatives are hoping to harness the power of the blogosphere to further their cause.)
Interestingly, the ST articles downplayed the political influence of the US blogs, citing a 2003 survey done by Pew Internet and American Life Project that "showed that a dismal 4 per cent of Americans went online for information and opinions." Furthermore, "studies have also observed that those who read blogs are likely to have formed an opinion already, and search blogs that validate their biases." (From #2) I'll come back to the last sentence below; but citing 2003 statistics does sound a little strange--considering that a newer Pew Internet survey reports that blog readership surged some 58% during the election cycle in 2004 (see here). In fact, a Mar 6, 2005 report by the same group comes with the title: "The internet was a key force in politics last year as 75 million Americans used it to get news, discuss candidates in emails, and participate directly in the political process" (.pdf file here and here; and also other reports available here). 75 million--that would be about a quarter of the US total population.
The notion that "those who read blogs are likely to have formed an opinion already, and search blogs that validate their biases" is, on the other hand, supported by both research and anecdotal evidence (speaking from my own experience as a blog watcher during the election campaigns in 2004). To begin with, the US political blogosphere is divided in large part between liberal and conservative blogs, with a much lower incidence of linkage between the two groups as a whole, than between blogs within each group (see this). But this point, however, may be only tangentially connected to any issue concerning the influence of the blogs in shaping public opinion.
Local Situation
But enough about the US already. The fact is--as the ST writers are quite aware--even granting the most extravagant claims concerning the power of the blogosphere in influencing US politics, we are talking about Singapore. The conditions are rather different here. In fact, it is so different that instead of talking about the blogs intruding into the political sphere as in the US case, it should be the exact reverse here:
* * * * *
I think I'll stop here. My own take on the influence of the blogosphere in the--loosely speaking, "political"--realm has been discussed elsewhere on this blog (e.g., here, and links there).
update: More by Nicholas Liu, also picked up by Myrick at Asiapundit.
[Technorati: singapore, blogosphere]
My third and final post on the trio of ST articles on blogs. As the lead article's title ("Will S'pore politics go to the blogs?") indicates, the writers' focus is ultimately on the possible political implications of the blogs: "The million-dollar question: Will blogs have much political impact in Singapore?" Such a question naturally arises given both recent overseas--primarily US--and local developments.
US Situation
Chief among the overseas development would be the prominence that blogs managed to achieve in post 9/11 as media critics persistently calling the mainstream media to account for its excesses; and most importantly, during the 2004 US Elections where they are perceived to be swaying public opinion and, especially, consolidating the bases of both the Republicans and Democrats. The perceived power of the blogs is closely watched across the Atlantic, where, for instance, the UK Conservatives are hoping to harness the power of the blogosphere to further their cause.)
Interestingly, the ST articles downplayed the political influence of the US blogs, citing a 2003 survey done by Pew Internet and American Life Project that "showed that a dismal 4 per cent of Americans went online for information and opinions." Furthermore, "studies have also observed that those who read blogs are likely to have formed an opinion already, and search blogs that validate their biases." (From #2) I'll come back to the last sentence below; but citing 2003 statistics does sound a little strange--considering that a newer Pew Internet survey reports that blog readership surged some 58% during the election cycle in 2004 (see here). In fact, a Mar 6, 2005 report by the same group comes with the title: "The internet was a key force in politics last year as 75 million Americans used it to get news, discuss candidates in emails, and participate directly in the political process" (.pdf file here and here; and also other reports available here). 75 million--that would be about a quarter of the US total population.
The notion that "those who read blogs are likely to have formed an opinion already, and search blogs that validate their biases" is, on the other hand, supported by both research and anecdotal evidence (speaking from my own experience as a blog watcher during the election campaigns in 2004). To begin with, the US political blogosphere is divided in large part between liberal and conservative blogs, with a much lower incidence of linkage between the two groups as a whole, than between blogs within each group (see this). But this point, however, may be only tangentially connected to any issue concerning the influence of the blogs in shaping public opinion.
Local Situation
But enough about the US already. The fact is--as the ST writers are quite aware--even granting the most extravagant claims concerning the power of the blogosphere in influencing US politics, we are talking about Singapore. The conditions are rather different here. In fact, it is so different that instead of talking about the blogs intruding into the political sphere as in the US case, it should be the exact reverse here:
The intrusion of political reality into the private world of blogs has chilled at least one blogger in Singapore. Lawyer Gilbert Koh took his blog that commented on social, economic and political issues in Singapore offline soon after reading about A*Star's dealings with blogger Chen Jiahao, and after some of his entries were reproduced in a website of an opposition party. (From #1; emphasis mine)A threatened lawsuit, and the closure of several blogs following--in other words, the AcidFlask Affair and its Aftermath. The ST articles reports various people have argued against the use of the defamation suit against bloggers:
While organisations or individuals can take legal action if blogs defame them, some people argue that they shouldn't. Management consultant David Ng, 38, says: 'Challenge the person to explain but don't take legal action or try to destroy the person. People will hesitate to give feedback, to express themselves in their own words. It will discourage people from giving feedback or speaking up.'I think that it is entirely possible and even likely that organisations and individuals may henceforth think twice about using the defamation suit against bloggers perceived to have badmouthed them given the international bad press resulting from the AcidFlask Affair. But even if that happens, the larger issue goes beyond the question of the threat of lawsuits, the relative powerlessness of the blogs to shape public opinion in Singapore. There are serious legal obstacles to blogs becoming a force in politics of the traditional kind--party and election politics--in Singapore:
Still, the real threat of lawsuits has become a wake-up call for bloggers. Some rave against the loss of freedom of speech, a few have shut down their blogs, and others watch their words more carefully. Blogger 'Metastasis' told Insight, referring to the A*Star incident: 'It's basically forced the Singaporean blogging community to abandon the notion that we're protected by 'small fry' immunity.' (From #3)
As Associate Professor Randolph Kluver, executive director of the Singapore Internet Research Centre, notes: 'They are places to go where you know the angle but you want commentary on the latest news or development.'This is actually a much more crucial point that the issue about lawsuits; but it may well change:
Blogs, he believes, are not likely to have a great impact on public opinion just yet. 'Blogs are an interesting place to discuss politics, and are more immediate and accessible but they are not going to radicalise any current political realities.'
Singapore, in any case, has strict laws on campaigning online. For instance, only political websites run by registered political parties can campaign during the election period, and they must keep logs of all messages sent in forums. Such rules, suggest academics, will likely dissuade political activists from using blogs to push their cause, especially during an election. (From #2; emphasis mine)
At least one political group is watching the blogging scene closely: the youth wing of the People's Action Party. Says Mr Donald Aw, Net coordinator of Young PAP: 'Our YP website has a very active discussion forum, and we may consider having a blogging facility if there is sufficient interest.'The question is, can the PAP avoid allowing opposition parties to do likewise if they were to harness blogs for their political purposes? More importantly, what would the fate of the presently non-partisan Singapore Blog Politic be in such a new dispensation?
And at least one politician has personally joined the blogging scene - Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Penny Low, who has a blog on this year's National Day Parade MoBlog website. If more MPs and their activists follow suit, perhaps part of the buzz of Singapore's next election will take place in the blogosphere.
* * * * *
I think I'll stop here. My own take on the influence of the blogosphere in the--loosely speaking, "political"--realm has been discussed elsewhere on this blog (e.g., here, and links there).
update: More by Nicholas Liu, also picked up by Myrick at Asiapundit.
[Technorati: singapore, blogosphere]
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