Singapore's Cybersex Laws - Research Paper Example

Cybersex has been referred to as the next internet sexual revolution and is classified under pornography by most countries’ laws. In Singapore, internet sex is highly regulated and the law does not allow pornography and so is cybersex. However, the internet has posed a challenge as the government and authorities are overwhelmed by it, especially in the age of globalization. In other countries like the United States, they have adopted a soft approach where they advise the hosting websites to self-regulate. Due to the growing industry of internet sex and lack of objective laws on protecting society, most countries outside the United States have continued to suffer hopelessly. However, it is unfair to apply pornographic laws on cybersex because the two internet sex experiences have differing societal implications. In Singapore cybersex has negative implications on the family institution because it has been branded an online form of infidelity and cheating. Under the existing pornographic laws in Singapore, cybersex implications are difficult to determine if society has to be fair. This is because while the cybersex industry continues to yield colossal sums of money from the business, cybersex has led to addiction, family breakups, and lack of self-esteem, which are also associated with pornography. However, cybersex can be credited for reducing prostitution and hence women trafficking, which is highly associated with the pornographic industry. Moreover, cybersex has offered an alternative sex experience that is healthier and safer compared to pornography and the issue of child cybersex rarely occurs. Under the existing pornographic laws, therefore, cybersex has been castigated and only its negative implications are highlighted. All this is because Singaporean pornographic laws do not adequately define cybersex and the government needs to have legislation on cybersex, different from the existing pornographic laws. This is because, unlike pornography, cybersex has positive and negative implications for society’s sexuality, given the proliferation of technology and overall globalization phenomena.