![]() “A cancel law will have to involve the platforms on which people typically discuss or propagate anything related to cancellation and where materials are published,” said Ian Ernst Chai, a lawyer who once served as a deputy public prosecutor in Singapore’s Attorney General’s Chambers. Given how most cancel cases take place online, the new law would also have to be specially drafted with the internet in mind and likely involve cooperation from social media giants, lawyers in Singapore told CNN. “But if the definition is limiting, the law could be under inclusive and not cover crucial acts when it should,” said Tan. The lack of precision could result in the law being over inclusive, covering acts which it shouldn’t,” added Tan. “All too often, incidents are interpreted, described or remembered by people in different ways. “What does it mean when a person claims to be canceled? How would alleged victims show proof of being canceled?” said Tan, who once served as a nominated member of the Singapore Parliament. The Center published a study around the cancel phenomenon in 2021 which revealed deep public division across demographic groups in the United States - from the very meaning of the phrase as well as what cancel culture represents.Īccording to Eugene Tan, an associate law professor from the Singapore Management University (SMU), there remains “no accepted definition” of canceling and as such, any proposed law would have to be “very clearly defined and worded.” The phrase first originated from the slang term “cancel,” referring to breaking up with someone, according to the Pew Research Center, and later gained traction on social media. The first thing any law tackling cancel culture must do, would be to define the act of canceling - an extremely complex challenge according to legal experts, given how contentious cancel culture can be. “(Some) have been unable to engage in reasonable public discourse for fear of being attacked for their views online… and may engage in self censorship for fear of being made a target of cancel campaigns,” a ministry spokesperson said. ![]() In a statement to CNN, his law ministry said the impact of online cancel campaigns could be “far reaching and severe for victims.” ![]() “There could be wider repercussions for society at large where public discourse becomes impoverished… so we plan to do something about this.” We have to look at the right boundaries between hate speech and free speech in this context,” Shanmugam said. His comments came ahead of the historic repealing of a colonial-era law that criminalized gay sex - even if it was consensual. “We should not allow a culture where people of religion are ostracized (or) attacked for espousing their views or their disagreements with LGBT viewpoints - and vice versa,” he added. ![]() “People ought to be free to express their views without fear of being attacked on both sides,” law minister K Shanmugam said in an interview with state media outlets in August. ![]() Over the past year, Singapore’s government has been “looking at ways to deal with cancel culture,” a spokesperson told CNN - amid what some say is a brewing culture war between gay rights supporters and the religious right following the recent decriminalization of homosexuality in the largely conservative city-state.Īuthorities said they were “examining existing related laws and legislation” after receiving “feedback” from conservative Christians who expressed fears about being canceled for their views by vocal groups online. But to others, it’s often “ misused and misdirected” and has become a form of mob rule.īut one country wants to put an end to the deeply contested online phenomena by introducing what legal experts and observers say would be the world’s first law against cancel culture - raising alarm among rights activists who fear that such legal powers could be used to stifle free speech. To some, it’s an important means of social justice and holding powerful figures to account. (CNN) - Cancel culture, the online trend of calling out people, celebrities, brands and organizations - rightly or wrongly - for perceived social indiscretions or offensive behaviors, has become a polarizing topic of debate. ![]()
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