Calls for "Digital Asylum" Spread as Even Pro-Government Groups Oppose New Law

[Anchor]

The amended Information and Communications Network Act, often referred to as the "Fake News Punishment Act," went into effect today (July 7). It remains unclear what exactly constitutes false or manipulated information and how such content will be determined. As a result, there is a growing movement online to "seek digital asylum abroad" to avoid potential punishment.

Bae Seong-jae reports first.

[Reporter]

"The beginning of digital asylum," "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-un & Oh Hye-jin: I think people will become more cautious because others might easily misunderstand differences in perspective and report them quickly.]

[Kim Ki-bum / Yangcheon-gu, Seoul: It is not good because it takes away the right to speak. Even if something is logically correct, it might be blocked.]

Some organizations, including the May 18 Memorial Foundation, evaluated the law 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 that were raised even before the law's implementation remain persistent.

Critics argue that because the criteria for what constitutes "false or manipulated information" are not yet clear, the law will inevitably stifle freedom of expression.

Even groups classified as pro-government, such as People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, have criticized the law, stating that "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 only punish false or manipulated information that requires legal action, but in practice, it is making content that should be protected under freedom of expression subject to criminal punishment.]

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

Experts warn that if the controversy and concerns surrounding the early stages of the law's implementation are not addressed quickly, the "July 7 Law Phobia" and the trend of digital asylum could become a reality.

(Video Editing: Choi Hye-ran, VJ: Kim Hyung-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.