SNS campaigning receives go-ahead
By Kim Rahn
People will be able to campaign for certain candidates or parties through the Internet and social networking services (SNS) at any time regardless of election schedules, the National Election Commission said Friday.
The election watchdog has decided to immediately allow campaigning via Twitter, Facebook and other networking means, ahead of the general election on April 11 and presidential election onDec 19.
The decision follows the Dec. 29 ruling that Clause 93 of the Election Law, which prohibits an act supporting or opposing certain political parties or candidates via the Internet for 180 days before the election, was unconstitutional.
Although the ruling has made the clause invalid, a separate regulation was still banning such acts. Clause 254 forbids online electioneering before an official campaign period.
The official period is 13 days in a parliamentary election, and 22 days in a presidential ballot.
“To respect the Constitutional Court’s ruling, we decided to suspend applying Clause 254 until the National Assembly revises the law,” a commission official said.
“People can electioneer at any time through the Internet and SNS, by posting messages or video clips, sending emails or using mobile chatting services,” he said.
But it excludes acts that are banned by other clauses, such as spreading false rumors or committing acts of libel, he added.
It will also allow promoting specific candidates through SNS on the day of the ballot and posting photos of people at polling stations along with messages supporting certain politicians.
In the October by-election, the commission previously said it was against the law to post photos that could indicate support for a specific candidate.
It also said it was illegal for members of election camps or celebrities supporting candidates to urge people to participate in the vote through the Internet or SNS, because it could be seen as campaigning.
In line with the regulation at that time, a citizen filed a complaint with the prosecution against TV personality Kim Je-dong, who openly supported then Seoul mayoral candidate Park Won-soon, for posting a photo of himself at a polling station on Twitter and encouraging his followers to cast their ballots.