Malaysian Anti-Porn Internet Laws Criticized for Blocking Health Information

On Wednesday, media watchdog group the Center for Independent Journalism warned that the Malaysian government's efforts to curb Internet porn could restrict access to important health information such as how to prevent HIV/AIDS. CIJ said the restrictions, including an order for Internet cafes to install anti-porn filters, could block legitimate searches for information on safe sex and condom use.

"The Internet is a place where young people can get information on topics like HIV/AIDS, homosexuality, safe sex and breast cancer without being afraid because it's anonymous," said CIJ Director Sonia Randhawa. "It's an important resource to have, especially in a society like Malaysia's, where it is difficult to get information."

Malaysia has blocked government computers from accessing porn and instituted a 24-hour watch on their unauthorized use by civil servants. School computers must have filters installed, and Internet service providers are to give all their customers low-cost software that bars access to pornography. Randhawa said Kaiser Family Foundation research found that pornography filters could block up to 27 percent of Web sites with the word "condom." CIJ said nearly 10 percent of health sites were blocked during searches for "safe sex" using the least restrictive filters. She said the filters would undermine recent government efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS, including a program to give free needles and condoms to IV drug users.

"There is action being taken on the one hand to deal with the disease but on the other, [the pornography crackdown] will have an effect on the campaign in the longer term," Randhawa remarked.

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