Authorities should not undermine freedom of speech
It is right to say fake news is the enemy of democracy. Any fake news or disinformation distorts public opinion and may disrupt democratic processes. In this regard, sorting out fake news and preventing its spread is undoubtedly crucial to maintaining our democratic system.
Yet, cracking down on fake news, especially by the government and law enforcement agencies, raises concerns about its true intention because such a move could weaken freedom of speech. Of course, this is not to say the authorities should not do anything about fake news. But we believe these state bodies are not appropriate for the job of clamping down on such misinformation.
In this context, we have to express our worries about measures introduced by Justice Minister Park Sang-ki to fight fake news. Announcing the measures Tuesday, Park instructed prosecutors to crack down on fake news. He noted that the spread of false information could destroy public trust in society and cause serious damage to the country.
We cannot agree more with Park on the mind-boggling ill effects of fake news. But we differ on how to prevent the circulation of false information, especially on his plan to use prosecutors to do so. In this rapidly changing digital age, it is anachronistic for the government to mobilize law enforcement agencies to suppress fake news.
It is understandable that Minister Park has to act on instructions from Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon who declared war on fake new about two weeks ago. Lee is at the forefront in denouncing fake news as a "destroyer of democracy." He has ordered stern measures since he visited the residence of the late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. He wrote in the guestbook that he felt "humble before a great leader" who loved his people.
Back home, Prime Minister Lee invited criticism for his guestbook comment. Some conservatives called him a "commie" and lambasted him for what he did not do: pledge allegiance to North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung. Lee must have felt that he too had become a victim of fake news or false allegations. This could have made him initiate the fight against fake news.
However, his fight does not appear to have come too precipitously. Rather it reflects how the Moon Jae-in government views fake news. So the war on this could focus more on deflecting mounting criticism about President Moon's various policies, including the controversial income-led growth formula and his rush to promote inter-Korean economic cooperation despite little progress in North Korea's denuclearization.
What the Moon administration should not do is to hush dissenting voices among the people, especially conservatives, in the name of sweeping away fake news. Such a state-led campaign against fake news runs the risk of undermining freedom of the press and of expression.
It would be better to let civil society do the job of staging the fight against fake news. Media outlets and civil organizations are well-positioned to define what fake news is and find ways to effectively eliminate false information without compromising freedom of speech.
It is right to say fake news is the enemy of democracy. Any fake news or disinformation distorts public opinion and may disrupt democratic processes. In this regard, sorting out fake news and preventing its spread is undoubtedly crucial to maintaining our democratic system.
Yet, cracking down on fake news, especially by the government and law enforcement agencies, raises concerns about its true intention because such a move could weaken freedom of speech. Of course, this is not to say the authorities should not do anything about fake news. But we believe these state bodies are not appropriate for the job of clamping down on such misinformation.
In this context, we have to express our worries about measures introduced by Justice Minister Park Sang-ki to fight fake news. Announcing the measures Tuesday, Park instructed prosecutors to crack down on fake news. He noted that the spread of false information could destroy public trust in society and cause serious damage to the country.
We cannot agree more with Park on the mind-boggling ill effects of fake news. But we differ on how to prevent the circulation of false information, especially on his plan to use prosecutors to do so. In this rapidly changing digital age, it is anachronistic for the government to mobilize law enforcement agencies to suppress fake news.
It is understandable that Minister Park has to act on instructions from Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon who declared war on fake new about two weeks ago. Lee is at the forefront in denouncing fake news as a "destroyer of democracy." He has ordered stern measures since he visited the residence of the late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. He wrote in the guestbook that he felt "humble before a great leader" who loved his people.
Back home, Prime Minister Lee invited criticism for his guestbook comment. Some conservatives called him a "commie" and lambasted him for what he did not do: pledge allegiance to North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung. Lee must have felt that he too had become a victim of fake news or false allegations. This could have made him initiate the fight against fake news.
However, his fight does not appear to have come too precipitously. Rather it reflects how the Moon Jae-in government views fake news. So the war on this could focus more on deflecting mounting criticism about President Moon's various policies, including the controversial income-led growth formula and his rush to promote inter-Korean economic cooperation despite little progress in North Korea's denuclearization.
What the Moon administration should not do is to hush dissenting voices among the people, especially conservatives, in the name of sweeping away fake news. Such a state-led campaign against fake news runs the risk of undermining freedom of the press and of expression.
It would be better to let civil society do the job of staging the fight against fake news. Media outlets and civil organizations are well-positioned to define what fake news is and find ways to effectively eliminate false information without compromising freedom of speech.
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