Calls for "Digital Exile" Grow Amid Concerns Over Chilled Freedom of Expression

[Anchor]

The revised Information and Communications Network Act, often referred to as the "Fake News Punishment Act," has gone into effect. Due to a lack of clarity regarding the definition and criteria for identifying false or manipulated information, there is a growing movement online to seek "digital exile" to overseas platforms to avoid the risk of punishment.

Bae Seong-jae reports.

[Reporter]

"This is the beginning of digital exile," and "Let's move to Reddit."

Throughout the day, posts encouraging users to move their activities to overseas public forums like Reddit were easily found on domestic online communities.

The implementation of the so-called "Fake News Punishment Act" has fueled anxiety among users who fear that their own comments could be subject to punishment.

[Park Go-eun, Oh Hye-jin: People might easily misunderstand differences in perspective and report them quickly, so I think I will be more cautious.]

[Kim Ki-bum / Yangcheon-gu, Seoul: It takes away the right to speak, so it is not good, and it could block things that might be logically sound.]

Some organizations, including the 5.18 Memorial Foundation, have evaluated the act as a "meaningful step forward in defining hate speech, which had been in a legal blind spot, as illegal information."

However, concerns regarding side effects, which were raised even before the law took effect, persist.

Critics argue that because the criteria for what constitutes "false or manipulated information" remain unclear, it will inevitably stifle freedom of expression.

People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) criticized the law, stating, "It is inappropriate for the state to be the one to judge what constitutes false or manipulated information."

[Heo Jin-min / Lawyer at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy: The law should be limited to punishing false or manipulated information that truly requires legal action, but in reality, areas that should be protected under freedom of expression are becoming subjects of criminal punishment.]

As of late May, a public petition on the National Assembly website calling for the withdrawal of the revised Information and Communications Network Act had surpassed 140,000 signatures.

Experts warn that if the controversy and concerns surrounding the early implementation of the law are not addressed promptly, the "July 7 Phobia" and the trend of digital exile could become a reality.

Reported by Bae Seong-jae | Video by Choi Hye-ran | VJ by Kim Hyung-jin
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.