Beware, your Facebook postings are monitored

Firstly, I must thank Steven Gan, editor-in-chief of Malaysiakini, for giving me the opportunity to write and share my thoughts on current issues with readers.

For Steven, a veteran journo and a hard-working colleague in the news world, and those of us who are supposed to be seasoned enough to understand the rules of the game in the media industry, we still have to constantly remind ourselves of the “Sword of Damocles” hanging over our heads.

We are painfully aware that no matter how careful and meticulous we might be in editing copies before they are published, others could still find fault with us later. And oftentimes, it would be for some strange reasons which we find difficult or impossible to comprehend.

Even if we are genuinely independent with absolutely no political affiliation whatsoever, there will still be groups who just cannot or refuse to believe us. They will come up with all kinds of allegations and accusations to clamp down hard on us.

We cannot really blame them though, because in this game we call politics, the truth hurts, and badly, too. The red lines, where the two parties are not supposed to cross, then became invisible.

From this point onwards, it’s all systems go with only the hardened journalists and the well-supported - not necessarily the most well-financed - publications left standing. Malaysiakini with Steven Gan at its helm is an example.

Unfortunately, this is the reality of the media industry in the country. The print media is going through tough times and many news portals which sprouted over the past decade have closed down. This is the damage inflicted partly by this love-hate relationship between journalists and politicians.

Danger of sedition, defamation and libel

For editors and journalists, what they constantly bear in mind are the three supreme laws governing their craft – the laws of sedition, defamation and libel.

Unfortunately, many who are now regularly communicating through social media are unaware that these laws also govern online usage.

Many are also in the dark or couldn’t be bothered about the warnings from the authorities about postings which could be deemed seditious.

My humble advice to them is to take the warning seriously and this is my worry and concern today.

For the past few months, I’ve been posting my articles published in Malaysiakini on my Facebook (FB) page. My intention is merely to share my views and thoughts with friends and in turn, to learn from their reactions, brickbats and criticisms included.

Facebook is really a remarkable tool, as all online apps are. Postings multiply in no time. Friends share with friends and my articles are reposted on various groups created by friends of friends.

I have more than 900 friends and acquaintances on FB. The majority are people whom I know but there are also those whom I’ve never met, to be honest.

Of late, I’ve noticed that some of the comments they posted were a bit over the top, though not necessarily seditious. This is where the danger lies.

Although I’m not responsible for what my FB friends posted, I know I would feel bad should they get into trouble with the authorities for their comments in reacting to the link I’ve shared earlier.

So on Friday, I inserted this gentle word of caution on FB:

“Dear FB friends, thanks to all for your responses/reactions to the articles which I've written and posted here.

“Let me add this gentle advice. Please be careful with your words when posting on FB. This is a crucial juncture of the game in the run-up to GE14. Hostile times, even.

“All postings are monitored, so let's not get caught unaware. The consequences can include long police interrogations and even jail.

“It's not worth it to go in just because of our posts in FB. We will be useless inside. So let us not be dead heroes. From now on, let us think a step ahead or walk a step ahead.

“The struggle for Sarawak is a long, arduous one. We can't afford to falter.

“God bless all and God bless our beloved homeland.”

I’m glad that most of my FB friends have taken my word of caution as timely advice. I would like to see them all safe and sound, and not have to suffer unnecessarily just because of an oversight in their choice of words.

I was even happier when one of them, Daniel Mathew, added his take on the matter.

“Sometimes, the line in between is thin. What's written is subjected to various interpretations (who reads what?). The general rule is to use plenty of common sense. Be rational, not emotional. Personal attacks are a big 'No'. At times, it’s prudent to assume the position of the reader/receiver”.

Well said, Daniel.

Act sensibly online

I also wish to share this reminder here with Malaysiakini readers because I’ve also noticed in the Readers’ Comments section some not very desirable postings.

So dear readers, do not think that you can get away with whatever you post anonymously online. Your identity is no longer a secret in this cyber age.

The thing is, most of us are not politicians. We don’t need to fish for votes. We are merely concerned citizens. So let’s act sensibly.

Even if we don’t like or don’t agree with Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib Abdul Razak, Anwar Ibrahim, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Lim Kit Siang or Hadi Awang, we cannot simply use uncouth lingo to attack them. At least, we should accord them due respect for the public positions they hold.

Who are we, anyway, to gun them down with four-letter expletives and toxic language? If we do so, we are no better than the keyboard warriors and soldiers of fortune in cyberspace whom we want to disassociate with.

So, let's be more discerning, act with decorum, write with humility and respect for others and more importantly, be responsible for ourselves.

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com- Mkini

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