Many Malaysians are outraged after MCMC blocked at least 10 filesharing sites as shared by The Star last Saturday.
Initially, I was pretty outraged myself eventhough I don’t use most of the sites listed on top, but because I foresee more internet censorship in future. Most people made comments like how Streamyx and Unifi is now useless since they can’t download movies anymore. However, today I’m trying to be positive about the outcomes of this step taken by the government and here is why I can be.
1) It is better to watch properly censored movies on TV and Astro then downloading them and getting shocked at shocking scenes.
Since having a family, I really prefer movies that are rated safe before I watch them, as watching too much violence, hearing too much f’ words, too much nudity, well that really disturbs my mind. I even think horror movies should just be banned! What’s the point of watching such things that brings no benefit to the mind. Just my opinion. I do not want to live in a 100% censored community like North Korea where you get no knowledge either, yet I also do not want to live in a developed 100% free speech, free images bombarded at you daily kind of community where I cannot escape not seeing something x-rated on the billboard of streets. So, that said, Malaysia is pretty good now, and I can turn on my TV in front of my kid without being too wary what might show up.
2) Going against piracy is a good thing. I would consider myself to be a sort of pirate, yes I confess to using pirated software, listening to pirated songs I downloaded etc. and I thought it was such a bargain to get it for nothing. However, recently when we decided to change everything in the office to legal software, then I realised how good it feels to be legal and no longer pirated. Even though we have to pay, it feels worth it to pay. For the softwares that we can’t afford, there’s always the opensource alternative, and you’d be surprised how good opensource softwares really are nowadays.
3) There are still many ways to watch your movies without the use of those 10 banned sites. Actually I watch my series on Youtube. They are not there for long and will disappear after a while. But I only watch some movies that I can’t buy with money, that aren’t available in Malaysia yet. Or I watch those that are showing on Astro that I am paying for, but I can’t get to sit in front of the TV all the time, so some people have already uploaded on Youtube so I can watch it lying in bed.
4) It might make Malaysia less well known for Internet fraud. Well, I’m not sure, just saying. Malaysia is like always banned from online shopping sites overseas due to high cases of fraud. Why! I hate it, we can’t even buy simple things online that aren’t available here, you’ll always see Singapore on the country list but no, no Malaysia. By banning file-sharing sites, maybe it will make Malaysia seem serious to combat cyber crimes.
5) If you read until here, you might realise that I’m out of positive things to say about internet sites being blocked. The negative thoughts are coming back again. 🙂
yea you’re out of things to say cos the ‘positive’ aspects are not that positive. It just seems like Malaysia’s govt is immensely retarded.
As for your point no.1, I do not want my movies, and music videos (MTV or whatever) censored.
Films, music and games are meant to be art. If a person is too young or cannot handle a certain thing, then just stay away from it! No ones shoving them down your throat. I hate it when music channels play the front bit of some music videos and then censors the whole song and not play the rest of the music.
As for no.2, offices are always meant to have licensed softwares anyways. I am a 3D student and I use a pirated copy of Maya because a licensed version would cost $AUD5000 but if i work in a studio, I’d obviously buy a licensed one. This is no anger directed at you. I just learned about this news today and I am appalled it actually happened. I just hope Anonymous destroys the govt websites.