De Lille – ‘I am a living example of fighting for freedom of speech’
22-05-2007 ID President Patricia de Lille has reiterated her statement that cellphone instant-messaging service MXit is destroying relationships and allowing grown men to lure young boys and girls into traps.
ID President Patricia de Lille has reiterated her statement that
cellphone instant-messaging service MXit is destroying relationships
and allowing grown men to lure young boys and girls into traps.
However, De Lille says she has been misunderstood by those who, ‘like me, are believers in freedom of speech.
However, De Lille says she has been misunderstood by those who, ‘like me, are believers in freedom of speech.
‘I am a living example of fighting for freedom of speech. The
first court case in the New South Africa for the right to freedom of
speech was fought by me and won,’ says De Lille.
‘I am making these comments about blogs and MXit in the broad
context of living in a sick society where the social fabric has been
destroyed, and where we struggle daily to rebuild that social
fabric.
‘I appeal to parents to be proactive in controlling such services
accessed by their children. I can put it out there for debate, but the
response lies with the government,’ De Lille says.
She says that ‘unlike established standards of free speech applicable to print and electronic media that do not allow the dissemination of defamatory or slanderous information -- bloggers can slander and defame others with impunity because they can remain anonymous.
She says that ‘unlike established standards of free speech applicable to print and electronic media that do not allow the dissemination of defamatory or slanderous information -- bloggers can slander and defame others with impunity because they can remain anonymous.
‘I don’t and will never stand for censorship,’ De Lille
says.
‘I am not bashing everybody. It is not all Internet users; it’s
just a minority. Is there not a way, without dismissing the concept of
blogging and MXit, to make sure that when people are defamed or
slandered, they are able to take the same action to which they are
entitled when it happens in print and electronic media?’
Released by Patricia de Lille – 084 777
2065

