LHL is strongly against freedom of speech, thought and expression on the internet. (see The Straits Times' article below.)
With Old Fart in frail health, the next general elections around the corner, voices at Hong Lim Park clamoring for return of CPF funds to Sinkies, etc...LHL may direct his LEEgime to enact laws to police the internet more strictly.
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On governing in the internet age
The Straits Times, August 23, 2014, page A8
"Knowledge is not free; yes, it's more readily available, but so is disinformation and so is misinformation, so is misunderstanding. And if you looked at what has happened worldwide, the Internet has not caused a great convergence on universal truth. Far from it.
It has led to divisions and all kinds of different ideas being able to take root and germinate, which are completely contradictory to one another, and groups which are completely antithetic to each other. And we have to make sure that we don't get seduced by the delusion that - we know everything, that what we know is the truth, and we are the sole possessors, and therefore, we will fight it out to the end. Because that way, you will fracture the society and be less able to form a consensus and move forward together.
My personal view is that human society was not designed with the Internet age in mind, in the sense that the way it has always worked - you have lags, information disseminates over a period of time, you have time to think it over, (let it) sink in, discuss it, and gradually form what we hope is a wise consensus. But today, all of that is telescoped and the splash goes out tonight, and tomorrow morning, everybody knows the answer, which may be the wrong answer. In fact, far from having a faster circuit collectively, and that is a real problem which I don't think people have found solutions to."
With Old Fart in frail health, the next general elections around the corner, voices at Hong Lim Park clamoring for return of CPF funds to Sinkies, etc...LHL may direct his LEEgime to enact laws to police the internet more strictly.
*************************************************
On governing in the internet age
The Straits Times, August 23, 2014, page A8
"Knowledge is not free; yes, it's more readily available, but so is disinformation and so is misinformation, so is misunderstanding. And if you looked at what has happened worldwide, the Internet has not caused a great convergence on universal truth. Far from it.
It has led to divisions and all kinds of different ideas being able to take root and germinate, which are completely contradictory to one another, and groups which are completely antithetic to each other. And we have to make sure that we don't get seduced by the delusion that - we know everything, that what we know is the truth, and we are the sole possessors, and therefore, we will fight it out to the end. Because that way, you will fracture the society and be less able to form a consensus and move forward together.
My personal view is that human society was not designed with the Internet age in mind, in the sense that the way it has always worked - you have lags, information disseminates over a period of time, you have time to think it over, (let it) sink in, discuss it, and gradually form what we hope is a wise consensus. But today, all of that is telescoped and the splash goes out tonight, and tomorrow morning, everybody knows the answer, which may be the wrong answer. In fact, far from having a faster circuit collectively, and that is a real problem which I don't think people have found solutions to."
