Here’s more for bloggers..

A few months back, I raise apprehensions about some real threats to the blogosphere (in my other blog ‘Cheap Talks’.. http://commentyoucom.blogspot.com), especially, after reading some incidents of concern in Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam (jailing of bloggers) which could probably be only the tip of the iceberg. I presume that there are a lot more similar but undocumented cases.

In that posting, I called upon bloggers to act in solidarity to establish some kind of detente before it gets too late. Now, it’s worth pondering on this posting below (taken from A Filipina Mom Blogger). If this intended measure gets through, the threat to the blogosphere becomes more real in the Philippines than elsewhere.

A Filipina Mom Blogger says..

I told myself that I should take a break from blogging. Just when I thought the waters are calm, Mike Abundo reveals that a hearing on a proposal by the Philippines’ National Telecommunications Commission that will require licenses for online content developers will be held today. The public hearing is set at 2pm Thursay GMT+8 (meeting got cancelled) at the NTC Executive Conference Room, 3rd Floor, NTC Building, BIR Road, East Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

The proposal is called the GUIDELINES ON THE PROVISION OF CONTENTS, INFORMATION, APPLICATIONS, AND ELECTRONIC GAMES. Content definition is not quite clear but I hope that can get threshed out. Is the memo applicable to commercial sites? And are personal sites exempted from this definition? Imagine paying 6,000 pesos annually for licenses when people create and post content online. Just the same, I asked my husband to read the memorandum so I don’t miss any fine print.

The definition of Content Developer is too vague and broad although it would appear to regulate content provided “for compensation”. It could be dangerous as it could be used to stifle the blogosphere…

Bloggers should question this measure.

It’s not the money, although P6,000 is a lot. It’s using government policy to control and regulate content online. It’s a freedom of expression issue. It infringes on the constitutional right of free speech and expression.

Now, don’t you think now is the time to act? Meantime, I really hope that we can set aside (without ignoring it) the issue of journalism and blogging. This one is simply more urgent.