Censoring social media is not the way to go

Malaysians will not accept having their only free space taken from them.

COMMENT

Not many people were surprised when one of the newly minted ministers, Azalina Othman, suggested it was time to amend the laws governing social media because the “lies” spread there had turned the minds of the rakyat against the government. For a while, there was even talk that Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi was going to ban all social media. He has dismissed it as a rumour, at least for now.

It’s understandable that most governments around the world are more than a little wary of social media. Social media has become the driving force of the new generation, a place of instantaneous distribution of knowledge, news, and entertainment. Word spreads on social media far faster than through any media before it. This has sometimes led to inaccuracies or outright mistakes, and politicians around the world have become quick to address such discrepancies in the news.

But perhaps the most dangerous part of social media, at least in the eyes of a government, is that it offers a free, unregulated place for the hive mind to ruminate and perhaps reach certain conclusions. Remember that the Arab Spring and the Occupy Wall Street movement were largely coordinated through social media.

An unregulated free space for the sharing and discussion of the news, especially the news that has emerged over the past months regarding 1MDB and Najib, would be particularly unwelcome for the current administration given its panic in trying to contain the situation.

However, we must try to understand where Azalina and Najib are coming from. Given the unregulated nature of social media, defamation and trial by public opinion are bound to happen, and this is unfair to the objects of ridicule or criticism. This is a legitimate concern in many parts of the world as governments strive to find a balance between allowing free discussion and regulating those discussions to ensure no innocent party is prejudged or vilified undeservedly.

But there is no easier way to anger the rakyat than to take away from them the only free space they have for unfettered discussion. We Malaysians have been brought up in a system that does not teach us to question the why and what of things. Social media has filled that gap, resulting in the political awakening of many who previously didn’t pay too much heed to mainstream media and their usual championing of the government and its policies. Social media has caused something like a mental revolution, and that is a scary thought for the government.

Censoring or banning social media is a bad idea, especially given the heated political climate. Any such action will be seen as an attempt to silence the people, and opinion will remain negative as long as repressive action continues. The only logical option is to refute the claims of government critics with solid evidence and proof, and anything that is less than conclusive will not convince the rakyat.

Of course, Najib does not like the constant assault he faces on social media. But the people have chosen to react this way because all we see are attempts to silence any and all dissent, legitimate or otherwise. We have not been given answers that are remotely satisfactory to the very pressing questions surrounding 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion that made its way into Najib’s personal bank accounts.

Social media is here to stay. Even if censorship and bans were implemented, the rakyat would still find a way to keep it alive. Even China, with its Great Firewall, has not been able to completely wipe out dissent expressed through social media. Instead, ministers should take a more proactive approach in refuting claims with solid evidence as that would argue more for their character and integrity. For the more serious cases, well, that’s what we have a legal system and laws surrounding defamation and slander for.

The genie will not be put back in the bottle. The only countermeasure is to embrace the conversation, and to influence it with facts and evidence that cannot be doubted.