Screenshots

If pre-moderated comments mechanism is to be applied in blogs what's the point blogging anyway. Sooner or later articles in a blog will need filtering as well. Real-time publishing is where we can sound our opinions from the bottom of our heart. This is how we can be heard as a "rakyat".

i prefer real-time publishing after the initial user authentication and no censorship of the net at all.

I believe the current model in Screenshots is adequate. Users, registered and authenticated, are responsible for its own comments. That's the way it should be, let's not taint the freedom of speech, and the rights to it, just because some useless bugger wants so much to believe that there's actually value in shooting him.

And maybe it is an open secret that unless you put a gun to the heads of the useless bugger and his konco, they will not see that they're making a fuss out of nothing at all.

Pre-moderation might also skew the direction of a commenter or of the discussion, solely based on the blogger's preference.

Jeff,
I am for real time blogging.Let people speak their mind within boundaries of decency, do not call people filthy names, do not use four letter words, do not pass racial comments.Argue, rationalise intelligently and intellectually as you have been recommending.As you are also doing when bloggers become rude and indecent and hijack, tell them they are wrong with a dose of thier own medicine and give them the reasons.Such bloggers will realise the errors of their ways sooner or later.
Carry on Jeff, our country can do with some intellectual exercise and a lot of space for expression which has been lacking for as long as I can remember.
Smart people do not have to be rude and filthy to make their arguments and persuations.

I fully agree with the comments made above. There are already methods in place to ensure that blog commentators are genuine and responsible enough to stand by what they say. Yes, there are exceptions to the rule, like almost everything in life. Why let a couple of rotten apples spoil the barrel?

P.Gunasegaram's reactions are clearly in response to what has been said about him in this blog. Man, he's really gotta grow up. His response to all of this is clearly blown outta proportion and is truly childish in nature.I believe that RPK of 'Malaysia Today' fame also had this debate of pre-moderated comments on his blog some time back. Where is the freedom of speech if comments are pre-moderated? We are thinking, living breathing human beings and it is up to us to analyse and digest as to what has being posted. We don't just simply accept and/or act on comments made on blogs or for that matter of fact, stuff which is being printed on mainstream media. So why start with such blogs?

So if it offers any kinda relief to the childish tantrum that P.Gunasegeram is throwing, I would like to officially state that I don't indeed to apply for any permits for any kind of firearms whatsoever despite what has been said. Nor do I intend to own any, even if such a permit is in my hands. Happy? So be a man. Take criticisms on your chin.

Hi Jeff,

Whenever I sign it, I have identified myself through a traceable path. I deem myself responsible for what I blog because ultimately I can be searched on the Net and if I am irresponsible or careless, I will not be able to retract. Therefore I need to be very careful with what I blog and not let emotions or anger give me reasons to regret.

If what I blog is to be edited through a filtration process, it will not be fair because the moderator would consciously control my right to express. Furthermore, in an actively participated blog like yours, when would you be able to read all the comments, edit and the publish them? I do not agree with P. Gunasegaram that weblogs should be moderated like mainstream papers. The Internet has allowed free expression and should stay this way. There are laws to act on people who incite others through their irresponsible utterances be it on the Net or in a public place.
I believe that we should be individually disciplined and matured to write what is on our mind and not allow others to modify them. I therefore support real-time publication of blog comments but you may wish to consider an automatic filter (if not already in place) of common offensive, racially sensitive and politically incorrect words.

Have a good meeting.

Hi all,

I can think of several reasons why we should root for real-time as opposed to pre-moderation (read: censorship).

1. It develops responsibility on the part of the comment giver. If you mean and stand by what you say, then you should be able to say it without fear or favour. Of course, back-up mechanisms like identity must be able to be ascertained to the pseudonym.

2. It provides the true meaning of freedom of speech. Linked to (1) above, your frredom must come with responsibility. Say what you want but say it responsibly.

3. It promotes dissemination of ideas and concepts. Mainstream can remain mainstream and play its own roles within a society. But freedom of speech through real-time comments allows new ideas - good or bad - to filter through. Good ideas should be be furthered, bad ideas put aside. We have to start thinking like adults; not everyone has a dirty agenda.

The fact is mainstream and alternative media can co-exist; when The Sun effectively booted out the PJ Mayor, the chorus of thans and gratitude rang in print AND in cyberspace.

Go on Malaysia. Be a true champion of free speech.

I think the need to pre-screen each and every post will be very much favoured by actual media-entities. Since the screening process will with rising popularity of a blog be more and more time consuming, it will make it very hard if not impossible for single-man-blogs to maintain the posting option. Also it would be much easier to start to blame the blogger directly if anything goes into the wrong direction. Afterall, didnt he/she screen properly...?
Entities that can put the manpower behind the screening process on the other hand will have a much easier task at hand and at the same time can easily and freely manipulate public perception. Afterall what is the screening process but an invitation to censor according to one's own personal desired respones. It will basically place a huge dent into freedom of speech.

So in a nutshell: I strongly favour instant posting. It is our right - and it is the responsibility and duty of those who believe they have any sort of control over it to maintain it.

Circumvention would be too easy anyway. Think of someone in the US who would post a free comment board on the articles postet here. To make things easier one could even place the articles inside such a board by using the RSS-feed provided. Technology is simply to fast but I am strolling ...

Jeff

P.Gunasegaram, if he is a journalist worthy of his salt, is from the old school, a very old school, I am afraid, and this does not lend to the enlightening of the literate Malaysian public under an existing claustrophoic environment in information-availability that we are already in Malaysia. He should widen his thinking lest he becomes irrelevant in the 21st century journalism.

I sense a shadow of hypocrisy in P. Gunasegaram's position, ie a flaky stance depending on which side of is bread his butter is spread.

No, whether the weblogs should have pre-moderation of readers' feedback should remain SOLELY with the weblog owner and SHOULD NEVER be regulated or controled. There are enough check and balances to protect citizen's public rights without further choking the "free speech" which our Malaysian Govts have been crowing at every international stage. To regulate means we are entering into a "communistic" thinking.

Malaysia should walk the talk on "free speech" on the internet.

As for Screenshot, any attempt for it to be demanded for pre-moderation will be suspect of authorities trying to gag the internet.

There are enough dangerous comments by politicians and even Ministers whose comments in the mainstream media like NST, the Malay vernacular newspapers that arouse racially-based emotions to dangerous levels that need to be monitored. If the Complaints Bureau has balls, that is where it should focus its attention.

The attempt by the Govt to get the mainstream media to gag Dr Mahathir is already bad enough to the reputation of Malaysia.

Leave the internet and the blogosphere alone.

Screenshot should stay as is.

The people who set the internet agenda for Malaysians must first understand the population that it affects, and for that, I thank you Jeff for giving us a chance to have our say in this.

First of all, bloggers come from various backgrounds and become bloggers for various reasons. Some of us have a social agenda, and are dilligent in managing our blogs. Some do it as a hobby and hence, don't devote as much time to maintaining our sites as others would. Some are tech-savvy, and some are not. Some blog through very good networks and some can barely get decent and reliable connections. As such, any policies that 'govern' the way we blog should take this into consideration.

Personally, I feel that a hands-off policy is the best, and as much as we allow our service providers like TMNet to do business on a 'best effort' basis, such allowances should be given to bloggers. =P

Anyway, I moderate because of spam, and I've been too 'lazy' to install a fully automated spam filter. When it comes to comments, I try not to moderate at all whenever possible. Of course, due to my content, I don't have the kind of problems you do.

When it comes to commenting on other blogs, I prefer the method you use on your blog Jeff. It's easy, you know who I am in case you need to contact me about anything I say, and it gives me a sense of accountability - I am not anonymous and whatever I say reflects on me.

Any other kind of moderation is just too time consuming, although it's really up to the admin to decide what's best for his/her blog. Which should be the case if we want to keep the spirit of freedom of speech alive, at least on the internet.

It must PRE-moderated and screened. There are daily evidence out there are racists, bigots and extremists making use of this media. Under normal circumstances, these people cannot be heard.

vote for real time. I think the arguments are more than enough...tq

Gunasegaran is clutching at straws trying to justify his position. Had he been there and had had the power he would have justified continuing letting bullok carts on KL roads...and his arguments and rationale would have been valid too if you confined your mind to the scope he was presenting.

Blogging is about spontaniety. It cultivates a sharp mind and encourages quick responses. Just imagine if Rafidah Aziz was not spontaneous and needed to reflect and discuss before she makes her position known, we would be losing out in a lot of international trading negotiations.

When people all over the world are shooting from the hip should we continue to insist that we first unsheath our keris? Too late. That is not how you develop a thinking and contemporary Malaysian. If we want a laid back Malaysia with a laid back attitude then Gunasegaran's arguments might be relevant. But time and tide waits for no man. So I cannot understand where it is he is coming from.

If really there is to be any move to moderate blog entries just so as to avoid libel, slander, threats or what ever, we should then also consider similar rules to stop all the tragic accidents that happen on our roads. After all, the killing that happens on the road is much worse than what ever appears on Jeff's blog. Maybe we should ban cars...or maybe put humps on the raods every hundred yards or so that will ensure drivers do not go beyond 50km per hour..Its the same kind of argument isn't it?

On the other hand, I could operate a mirror site of Jeff Ooi's Screenshots under a different name abroad where I could accept uncensored and real-time comments. it should not take too long to direct traffic that way. How will Guna stop that happening. And how will Guna impose moderation then? Just because Guna operates a moderated blog does not make him right or does not make him responsible. Maybe makes him stupid from where I stand.

I expect Screenshots to maintain it's status quo and principles. Otherwise it will lose the respect it commands. I do notice that even the Star has stopped editing (butchering) readers' letters, from a recent personal experience when I wrote in to voice my opinions about national water conservation issue. Some have learnt from feedback and progressed. Others still try to fight the march of advancement.

Jeff

If it comes to pass that regulations are to be put in place for readers' feedback on weblogs, then Malaysians might as well go live in a cave in the 21st century.

Pre-moderation means ONLY views agreeable to the blogger are published.

What better ways can the Govt and authorities get a feel and gauge from feedback of the general mood of the public, at least the internet-available public, on issues of national and public interest, and help Govt to ensure better governance by the Govt institutions eg Ministries and Govt Depts.?

Pre-moderation filters the broad spectrum of views based on the whims and fancies, and fears of the owner of weblogs.

In reality, how do you regulate weblogs made available to Malaysian public that originate from overseas?

Assume, Jeff Ooi disowns Screenshot, hands it over to another person(s) to operate the weblog from overseas but retains the same structure, and focusing on the same local issues, how are you going to penalise such a weblog.

How can Govt or Complaints Bureauc punish the owner of Screenshot, say, from USA or Canada or Australia operating that weblog?

Cry-babies like P. Gunasegaram should go to the Malaysian court of law for his dose of legal-milk, instead of trying to gag the whole blogosphere in Malaysia.

imho, the bureau members have to consider where the line is drawn. should an online paper like malaysiakini be expected to pre-moderate its reader's comments before publishing them (which it does)? should bloggers like jeff be expected to do that? what about online forums of various persuits? - politics and religions related flames are common occurances on forums no matter they are primarily for motoring, or photography, or i.t., or biking, or whatever.
i'm for un-moderated postings in blogs and forums. i favour peer moderation. the forum or blog owners bring with them their preferences and agendas, and they attract like-minded regulars. as a group the blogger and the regulars establish the norms, a culture almost, and what are acceptable and what are not. offending posts and threads should be locked but remain visible and offeding poster banned. but more often, they are just flamed/moderated/educated by other forumers to toe the line of the accepted norms.
obviously, the forum/blog owners and moderators do determine, or at least influnce the characters of their forums or blogs to various extends, depending on what, and how much, they decide to allow/moderate. hence imho, unless a forum/blog owner completely does not moderate postings on his blog, he can be held accountable for what he decides to moderate, and what to allow.
imho, jeff's needs to defend his decision to allow the "shooting" comment in this particular case. i may not agree with jeff that "shoot him for good" is a common english idiom, while there is no doubt the "hold gun to head" one is. (see http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hold+a+gun+to+(someone's)+head ), but i respect his right to a different opinion. however since someone challenge that, and if an independent arbitration finds that statement to be inappropriate, jeff should just apologise for allowing it and move on. that's what self-regulation is about.
however, i do not believe any demand to punish, censor, or to limit in what ever manner bloggers like jeff's freedom to blog, is going to help us as a society. i hope guna and his friends are mature enough not to score points at the expense of our growth. i hope the arbitration body will do the right thing.

NO to moderation. Thinking allowed and thinking aloud with moderation of comments? Jeff, you might as well put in your own view and we do not need any comments? To me there is no difference!

Please lah... Lets be mature and allow the readers/bloggers do the checks and balances.

I come to this website because i like the different perspectives and independence of all the comments. Take it away, jeffooi.com will be just another "mainstream media"?

We need to tell Guna to move away with the ICE AGE mentality and adapt to the new paradigm! Allow live comments and NO to moderation~

Jeff,

Read within the line of this sly fox! This is another red ocean strategy(competing in existing market space) and you on the other hand is blue ocean strategy(creating your own market space).

We shall prevail!

No. No moderation please.

Free speech is very very important.

And for a "journalist" to propose, lets call it what it is gang, "censorship" it just shows us all very clearly just what it takes to become a group executive editor in Malaysia!

No to pre-moderated comments. No to censorship.

People like to come here because they can talk freely within a know boundary. I think this model is more effective in tackling issues concerning the citizens of Malaysia.

If blogs are moderated, I would rather send my comments to "Letters to Editors" at Riong Rd.

How do they intend to monitor this for Malaysians/overseas bloggers who blog about Malaysia?

Folks

How could owner Tong Kooi Ong and Vincent Tan ever have the presence of mind to recruit and employ a publicly-exposed internet "free-speech" coward to become NexNews's
Group Executive Editor.

And to think that Mr. Tong Kooi Ong is based in Canada?

I have great respect for Vincent Tan for his business decisions and his savvy-ness in moving among corporate movers and shakers.

Something is seriously wrongn with their decision making to end up having a Group-Executive Editor as a cry-baby for one of his business-hobbies, ie NewsNex. All because of a figure-of-speech in the English language, used not by a blogger, but by a reader in a blog.

I think the person warming the seat as the Group Executive Editor of NewsNex has just passed his use-by date as a journalist.

Think again, Mr. Tong Kooi Ong and Tan Sri Vincent Tan, otherwise, NewsNex is only as good or as bad as the other Govt-mouthpieces ie NST and Star.

Guna,

I know you are reading this. Dude, give it a break man!! You know what you are doing is just not becoming of a gentleman.

You are seriously making a mountain out of a molehill.

NO to moderation of BLOGS!

Folks

Let me add another note to Mr. Tong Kooi Ong and Tan Sri Vincent Tan:

Your NewsNex's Editor-in-Chief Ho Kay Tat, did not have the [DELETED], even though he is the respondent in the case, to face the Complaints Bureau. Or is he as cowardly, hiding behind his desk only, like his Grour Executive Editor, when having to put his face to an issue which threatens the reputation of NewsNex

One would call that irresponsible for a person holding that high position in the media industry.

this question shouldnt even arise when the content code clearly provides its guidelines for it. we're a blogging service provider, with users from all over the world, its totally out of the question to even think this way. but for precisely this reason (and economics), we're hosted overseas.

How many times have we had an issue with comments from people posting here? a few? do we cater to the exception or or the norm. As for comparing blogs, lets look at number of postings/comments. How many in Kadir Jasin's blog vs screenshot. Is it a fair comparison? what if I start singing praises for Pak Lah which is not true, will they want to censor that?

as mentioned by others, we are traceable and most of us are resposnsible for ultimately for our comments.We do not want censorship and we are adults, not small kids.

Since the arrival of the internet in Malaysia, there is NO censorship.

During the turbulent “Reformasi” period, there was NO censorship.

The “Reformasi” is a remarkable milestone in Malaysia. People who were angry, outraged, dismayed, disenchanted had the opportunity of a lifetime to express themselves on the internet. They let loose their emotions, they poured out their anger, they swore, they cursed.

Did what they said and what they wrote bring down the government? Did they cause a civil war? Did they murder anybody?

During the “Reformasi”, rebel websites sprang up like mushrooms. They churned out seemingly endless hatred and hostility against the people in government, targeting the police, the judiciary and the then PM Dr Mahathir.

Despite the “threat” posed by the internet at that time, the Dr M government did not ban the websites nor censor the internet.

I wish to say to the AAB government: “NO censorship of the internet in whatever form.”

there's no need for moderation. Any "tongkat" are not welcome

Folks

Error noted: Editor-in-Chief Ho Kay Tat, is from the Sun and not NexNews. Error regretted in earlier posting.

However, the fact remains,and the message to the owners, whoever they are, if Sun is not owned by the two mentioned personities still stays, that the Sun's Editor in Chief, HO Kay Tat, is irresponsible for not showing up at the Complanits Bureau. It is a cowardly act for asking somebody to represent him when he is the respondent in the case.

I'm going to boycott all papers by NewsNex.

I'm going to boycott all papers by NexNews.

I am all for realtime blogging than premoderated.
If premoderated ..what's the point of blogging in the 1st place. I might as well look at online newspaper for that matter. INternet have always been a place where people could express their view honestly.(constructively ) of course and it should have been free from biasness and judgement.

Pre moderated blogs are so un popular which explains why Screenshots have been influential because it takes in commentator .

Guess the country is into implementing policies .NAP,.University ENtrance ler..and now blogging.

I think the model in Screenshots is sufficient. Most commentors are mature enough and self-censorship is the way for bloggers and commentors to progress and develop our thoughts and actions.

So, NO to pre-moderated comments; growing pains is part and parcel of life.

Pre-moderated comments will ultimately disturb the flow of comments/discussion... 2 comments first than 10 follow afterward, depending on how much time can be dedicated by Jeff...

I cud agree if let say a robot or 24/7 PC geek do the moderation...

NO moderation please. We are grown ups, mature enough to post a comment, and not easily threatened by idioms.

Leave the blogosphere alone, NO moderation.I still prefer real-time publishing after the intial user authentication as what Screenshots has now.

Literacy (2002) in Malaysia is 88.7% (men: 92% and women: 85.4%). Are they really can't "THINK" when they read something? If yes, then the whole education system in Malaysia = FAIL.

jeff,

i think your blog has been maintained at an ethical standard higher than that of the mainstream media. unlike the mainstream media, i personally do not see any political agenda on your blog.

the trust between you and your readers is what makes jeffooi.com tick. by practising pre-moderation of readers' comments, you are taking that trust away.

i hope the quality of your blog will not be negatively impacted by some unethical, self-interested, politically motivated journalist who has no guts to speak against anyone but people without too much domestic political connection like you.

please keep your blogging style the way it is.

peace.

I vote for real-time comment.No censorship required.

let not those few *highlighted* commentary like those of mine be used to censor and reprimand the rest.

no mandatory censorship. please.

The nature of blogs is the sense of immediacy to get it out and pre-moderated comments would defeat its purpose.
What is important we must pay attention to what we do and pay attention to our emotional communications and to our translations of thoughts in the writings and comments so as not to cause libel?
Over here, you may have the Content Code, but in the STATES they are protected by the :-
Communications Decency Act of 1996, Section 230 holds that "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider." The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), one of Section 230's most ardent proponents, says it "preempts any state laws to the contrary."
Paul Alan Levy, a prominent internet authority and attorney at Public Citizen Litigation Group, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization in Washington, D.C., declares: "What Congress said back in 1996 was that to encourage the development of the Internet as a means of communication, people who offer interactive computer services should not bear the liability for nasty comments posted by other people”

"The act states that people who post their own comments at their online site should be responsible for that content, but not what they post from others, and that seems to me the right call to allow the internet to flourish," adds Levy. "My view is that the editorial decisions you make about whether to allow a particular nasty comment to remain on your board is one for you to make, and you're not liable for, according to Section 230”
The SUN on 21st Aug 06 has given the heads up on the above extracts which can be viewed with other comments in:
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2006/08/tips-avoiding-blog-troubles-by-legal.html

Real time publishing after the initial authentication as
being practised now.

"It develops responsibility on the part of the comment giver. If you mean and stand by what you say, then you should be able to say it without fear or favour"

I am in favour of approval for 1st time commenters. After that - it's a free for all.

Your time would be best used by writing the great content which you put out, not moderating posts, right?

go for real time publishing. we responsible for what we write.

i favour real time publishing. some webmasters may choose to have all comments moderated prior to publishing, that's their prerogative but ultimately it should be an option, not a must.

There really need to be a voice of reason.

1. Contrary to popular beliefs, blogs are not new (e.g Live Journal have been around since 1999), only the technology behind is fairly new (e.g css/xml but even that could be argued since css exist in another form since 1970s if wikipedia is to be believed). So I would want to know why the Bureau are ignorant to this so called new genre.

2. AFAIK, the law doesn't recognize the difference between a 'website' and a 'weblog'/'blog' which is rightly so. Why should a type of website be excluded and be applied differrent set of laws?

3. The spirit of the law should be upheld that the users should be the one choosing the method of moderation. IMHO, Jeff have used a reasonable approach and there is no evidence to say otherwise. Guna have failed to use all avenues and method to resolve his problem with Jeff before going to the authority. This speak volumes of his motivation.

4. 'Influential blog' is purely a semantic argument. How do you define influential? By number of readers? If so, why should the law be applied differently according to influence? Tell me which kind of rights you would lose or gain depending on how much people look up to you?

5. Let say Jeff's blog is really influential and popular. Assume the blog getting a million readers a day like slashdot.org. Assume hundreds of people commenting on one post alone. Assume more then one post is being uploaded daily. Issit still reasonable for Jeff to read all the comments before posting it? Should you hire someone to moderate on Jeff's behalf? Does this mean, the more popular your blog is, the more money should be thrown in to moderate it properly? Where do you reasonably draw the line due to time constraint and economical reasons?

6. Why should the owner of the blog be held responsible to the actions of a commenter? Whatever happen to personal responsibility again? Where do you draw the line in this still? If blog owners should be held responsible, what about ISPs?

7. There is no reasonable indication that Jeff is promoting or incite people to kill Guna. This is purely Guna's assumption based on one comment in Jeff's blog. Even then, there is no reasonable indication that the commenter is inciting people to kill Guna. The 'shooting' word is purely a semantic argument.

8. If anyone who reads a blog and take it as the holy grail, that person itself have more problems then 'being incited to kill anyone'. That goes for anyone who reads anything on the internet and take it as the truth.

I'm for real time publishing too. The current system of initial authentication is good enough. Let the commentators be accountable for what they say. Which would also be a reminder for us (the commentators) to give constructive comments.

Jeff:

I prefer real time publishing. Anyway, blogs are meant to like that, right???

I wonder P. Gunasegaram can tell between snail mail and email; printed media, web news and blogs; offline and online???

To a 10 year old kid like me, online means fast. As such, blogs which is online should be published in real time. Just as simple as that. I don’t bother to read news print (e.g. The Sun) because when it hits the street, most of the contents can be considered as history already.

I think he is just too old for the internet era, and so does those adopted pre-moderated mode. No offence.

Dear Jeff

I'm not in favour of pre-moderated comments as it takes away the spontaneity and ideal of 'free speech' of your readers. But having said that, it is equally irresponsible of any form of media (be they brochures, advertisements, newspapers etc) to be above the basics of libel and slander laws in the name of 'free speech'.

As any journalist worth his salt, everything we write is subject to such common laws. And I see no reason why, just because it's the internet (blog), should be exclusive of them. If blogs such as Screenshots, Malaysiakini, Aisehman, Kadir Jasin, Rocky's Bru presupposes to sought equal credibility as other mainstream media, it makes sense to want to be subjected to the same laws.

Nevertheless, just as newspapers can't hide behind the 'it was a reader's comments and not ours' dictum, I don't believe blog administrators should either. If by choice, a blogger wants to touch a sensitive subject, he should also take responsibility for the trolls he invites.

Perhaps it is also time for readers to start sharing the responsibility which comes with commenting. For anyone who has worked in the newspapers, letters to the editor are only ever published IF it comes with a name and address. In the same mould, commenters should be asked to register themselves when they say something. After all, if we strongly believe in what we comment, we should STAND by them too.

Dear all,

You need a mature audience for free speech. Worse case you get sued.

Here in Malaysia, we tend to be very emotional and physical. My analogy here is that a group of people has rented your lorry together with you as the driver. They asked you to drive to Kg. Baru and they start shouting racial abuses at the malays over there. Are you also not responsible????

Please don't flame me for the above example but it is closest to home.

I favour real time publising too. If there is any filtration, i might as well read newspaper... I mean Malaysia mainstream goverment controlled newspaper

kinrara,

This is not about free speech eventhough is related. This is about the law regarding electronical communication. If preferential laws are made according to the genre of a website, it will kill the communication industry. There won't be any future Google from Malaysia.

I'm sorry to say your analogy shows the lack of understanding of the technology regarding the internet and weblogs. You sound awfully like Senator Ted Stevens in his comical argument against net neutrality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iMDRVzMfEM

Stcks and stones?

kinrara

Your analogy is too simplistic.

The abusive passengers chose to come on board and the driver has the right (and does) as Jeff had done, to kick the abusive passengers out of the lorry.

Are you saying now that the driver will conduct an interview (ie pre moderate) to determine whether the passengers WILL BECOME ABUSIVE once on the lorry. That is only known when he comes on board.

We are living in a democratic environment, not in North Korea.

Come on, you can do better than silly analogy. Try another one.

as if having my opinions watered down in The Star was not enough, they want me to water down comments as well??

bugger off....

i should have the freedom to speak my mind, even if it is not the majority's point of view.

In this country, we are so petrified of words. Inciting racial hatred, religious hatred, etc etc.. People think that even opening our mouths on these matters is tantamount to sedition.

I think Malaysians are a more mature lot, not the complete naik angin morons we are made out to be. When individuals within a community are making counter-productive, unreasonable or hateful statements, I believe s/he will be shouted down by the rest of the community.

I have faith that established communities like the ones here will practice the best standards of self-policing, speaking out and not standing for any nonsense. Similar to this case, everyone will noisily point to any unconstructive, harmful negativity, and bloggers with any shred of credibility should be trusted to do the right thing (but not immediatelylah, we are not stuck to computer 24/7 kan?).

That said, I agree that we in the online community can gain a lot more credibility for ourselves if we move further and further away from anonyminity on the net. There's nothing like having your name being behind your thoughts if you're serious about being engaged.

All in all, I think this case has shown that an online community can take responsibility for itself, discuss conflicts openly, and be willing to seek mutual understanding by engaging in discourse. A good example for Malaysia, really.

Hmm... if need moderation, then all blogs will soon become like newspaper... publishing only those they 'wish' to publish...

I don't understand why are the weblogs treated separately? It is just one of the method of how people interacts on Internet like IRC, newsgroup, forums, social networking sites. If the government intends to moderate the interaction between Internet users, they should announce a black & white guidelines which would be benefitial to the potential foreign Internet-related investors/companies so that they don't waste their money/resources coming to Malaysia and find out they can't do this and that later.

Dear Jeff,
I support your stand. We should be upholding the principle of "innocent until proven guilty". If all comments are required to be pre-moderated, it is like assuming that the posters are all "guilty until proven innocent"...

What you have been practicing is already good.

Jeff,

No to pre-moderated comments and yes to real time publishing. Let the voice of the rakyat be heard and I believed we are all responsible netizen. This is the way to go to nurture a first world mentality rakyat.

NO to pre-mod.

1 Reason is enough: blogs are NOT mainstream media. blogs are of a TOTALLY DIFFERENT nature.

blog are only SPACES, allowing people to come and speak. just like a cafe owner should never be held responsible for whatever is being said by the customers visiting the cafe, or paper manufacturers for what is written on the papers.

bloggers don't claim 'credibility' for the comments posted (though the bloggers are responsible for their own, lead individual remarks, in the same way that comment-posters are), unlike print media/journalists (who are directly claiming that the news reported BY THEM is true, correct, accurate, etc).

sure, some bloggers might choose to regulate the contents, but the choice of some bloggers cannot be used to be the justification for imposing that 'choice' on all others. they can doesnt mean they should. logically, it's absurd.

Gunasegaram is therefore wrong to equate blogs with the traditional media.

NO pre-moderation. Continue with present ned for registration as has been in practice here at Screenshots.

I support the point made by "nat" :"That said, I agree that we in the online community can gain a lot more credibility for ourselves if we move further and further away from anonyminity on the net. There's nothing like having your name being behind your thoughts if you're serious about being engaged."

Ownership of views is substantiated by proud identity of speaker/writer. This will immediately show up an individual writing under several monikers like panda, old panda, new panda, etc to the extent even the "animal" would feel insulted that his name be abused!

I'd say this pre-moderated comment mechanism is utter nonsense. Are we all so immature and irresponsible that every word we say need to be screened through? [DELETED ] the mainstream! there you go, self-censorship for [ DELETED ] like Guna.

One day this jockers may plant a ECU chip on my grandkids brain to pre-moderate what they gonna think,do,write dan sebagainya.

juslo

Very well said.

Thanks

Guna just grappling at straws.
He knows he made himself look '___' the way he is. Now the whole Newnews establishment also got to back him. Want to save face just by making Jeff do something about his blog.
Nexnews is now heavily moderated ah? - don't deflect it to the blogsphere too.
HKT, why now lidat?
INTEGRITY mana.
But then folks, it isn't easy being in HKT shoes. y risk losing the licence. The jobs of many. Live to fight another day. Live and let live.
ONLY PROBLEM IS:
You guys are screwing the wrong people here. All we bloggers generally want is a better Malaysia. Not just in words.
The Sun was the smile on my face each morning until u guys nearly kena. Now got to toe the line and politic -speak liao.

Wat to do? Malaysia this also tak boleh.

Let's shoot for not having moderation..And I didn't need a gun pointed at my head to come to that conclusion.

Dear Jeff,

"With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably." -- Captain Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie

I realise Malaysia is a country where speech must be carefully worded and often censored, but so often this censorship is fuelled by paranoia and ends up being unfair or one-sided. Mainstream media censorship can be justified, given the country's multiracial composition, but blogging should be given more freedom, especially if Malaysia wants to keep moving forward.

real-time publsihing after the initial user authentication requirement

Dear Jeff,

I vote for no moderation. Keep Screenshots the way as it is. After all the signing in process that need be for us to comment is already enough to certify that we are intelligent enough to present our discussions and arguments in an intellectual manner.

Jeff,

I do not favour pre-moderated comment for blogs.

As it is being practise here at your screenshot, where any first time commentators are pre-screen by you and subsequently should the "person" misbehave, the right to bar access is reserved after given the required warnings.

This in itself can help the blog owner to focus its energy on the issue at hand rather than having high administrative overhead through pre-moderation. Only when the situation potentially turning unruly, only then should the owner step in.

However, the practise at AKJ's blog in disallowing anonymous commentaries should be included so as to ensure responsibility of owning up to its own view, whatever the view is, at the very least to the owner of the blog.

As far free speech is concerned, Malaysia has some way to go for this to become a conscious reality in the public life, while at the same time free speech without responsibility is not acceptable.

Thank you.