MMC3200
Citizen journalism and government
control: Balancing public voice and
media regulation
Serene Lau Hui Ning
Choong Yan Li
Yap Jia Wei
Lim Jia Jia
Low Jun Ian
J22036763
J20033180
J21034391
J22036696
J20032611
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1. Finland - Serene Lau Hui Ning
2. Taiwan - Lim Jia Jia
3. Vietnam - Low Jun Ian
4. South Korea - Yap Jia Wei
5. Singapore - Choong Yan Li
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Definition of citizen journalism
-Ordinary people report and share news social media (citizen journalism 2025)
-Gained traction with smartphones and the internet
Role of citizen journalism
-Provides real-time updates, especially during crises.
-Highlights overlooked issues.
-Encourages public involvement in news and discussions.
Government control over media
-Authorities regulate media through censorship
-State media shapes public opinion and national narratives.(Digital Content Next 2024)
-Governments monitor digital platforms to control information flow.(Gehlbach et al. 2008)
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Finnish citizen journalism – Aamulehti’s experiment
Citizen reports on local issues
Public submitted stories on community events, governance and
local problems.
Mobile & digital contributions
Submissions via mobile apps and an online portal.
Collaboration with professional journalists
Editors fact-checked and refined citizen contributions.
Impact on media & society
Increased public trust and representation in news.
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Platforms supporting citizen journalism:
-Yle Kioski: allows young citizen journalists to
share news and opinions. (Kioski Yle Areenassa n.d.)
-Suomen Kuvalehti: a magazine in Finland
that publishes investigative reports from both
professional and citizen journalists. (Näköislehti suomenkuvalehti.fi 2022)
(Kioski Yle Areenassa n.d.)
(Näin saat rauta-arvosi nousemaan
| Emma Karasjoki - Yle Kioski n.d.)
Finnish citizen journalists actively share news
through blogs, social media, and independent
online platforms.
Citizen journalists often focus on local issues, social
justice, and political discussions.
(Näköislehti - suomenkuvalehti.fi 2022)
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Finland upholds strong press freedom while
combating misinformation.(Finland n.d.)
(WHAT IS THE CMM? – JSN n.d.)
The Council for Mass Media (CMM) is a selfregulatory body ensuring journalistic integrity.
(WHAT IS THE CMM? – JSN n.d.)
Media laws address defamation and
misinformation without direct censorship.
(Hofverberg n.d.)
(Hofverberg n.d.)
The government collaborates with digital
platforms to counter false information.(Finland is
winning the war on fake news. Other nations want
the blueprint n.d.)
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(Cottle, 2009)
Media laws & regulations
-Freedom of expression act(Ministry of Justice, Finland, 2021).
Editorial oversight & gatekeeping
-Ensures alignment with ethical journalism standards(Finnish Council for Mass Media, 2023).
Fact-checking & misinformation control
-Focus on truthful reporting to prevent misinformation(Hedman & Djerf-Pierre, 2022).
National security & political influence
-Authorities control crisis reporting to prevent panic(Cottle, 2009).
Data privacy & surveillance
-Online platforms are monitored to prevent illegal content(Salovaara-Moring, 2019).
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Taiwan Sunflower Movement 2014
Student-led protest in Taiwan that took
place between 18/3 - 10/4
Protesters opposed a trade agreement
with China (CSSTA)
Fearing it would increase Beijing’s
influence
Over Taiwan’s economy and threaten its
democracy.
(Kensaku,2019)
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Taiwan Sunflower Movement 2014
Role of citizen journalism
Provided live coverage of the protests
through social media
Members of the movement established
dedicated websites
Half a million citizens also took to the
streets to support the protest on
March 30 (Lin, 2014)
(Dona, 2014)
Taiwan Sunflower Movement 2014
Post
(Facebook, 2014)
Lives
(Facebook, 2014)
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Taiwan Sunflower Movement 2014
It awoke a younger generation’s awareness about politics, democracy
and the identity of Taiwan as a country (Cheng, 2015)
Protesters saw the easy accessibility of social media
Taiwanese abroad are using social media to remotely support
protesters
Voice discontent over police brutality
Unlike earlier pro-democracy movements, it was difficult or even
impossible to get the message across to an international audience.
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Taiwan Sunflower Movement 2014
Government Control
(Hioe, 2015)
Restricting Live Coverage & Citizen Journalism
Razor blade snake cages erected
Around the perimeter of the Legislative Yuan
Prevent crowds from entering the building
(Chang, 2022)
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Taiwan Sunflower Movement 2014
Government Control
The United Daily News ( 聯 合 報 ) and China Times ( 中 國 時 報 ), for
example, were mostly critical of the student occupiers in their
coverage and pushed for the passing of the CSSTA.
(Taiwan hat, 2017)
The Liberty Times ( 自 由 時 報 ), the major newspaper of
the pan-Green political camp, could be reliably counted
on to support students.
(Taiwan hat, 2017)
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Vietnam's Independent Media
Landscape
Proliferation of Citizen Journalism: Vietnam has witnessed a surge in citizen journalism, with bloggers
and independent reporters addressing topics often overlooked by state-controlled media. These
platforms have become vital for disseminating information on social issues, human rights, and
governmental policies.
Role of Social Media: Social media platforms, particularly Facebook and YouTube, have become
essential tools for Vietnamese citizens to share news and mobilize public opinion. The high internet
penetration rate has facilitated widespread engagement in online discussions and activism.
(FULCRUM, 2024)
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Government Control & Media
Regulation
Implementation of Decree 147: In December 2024, the Vietnamese government enacted Decree 147, imposing stringent
regulations on social media platforms. The decree mandates user identification and requires platforms to remove content
deemed illegal within 24 hours, significantly impacting free speech and citizen journalism.
Impact on Free Speech: The enforcement of Decree 147 has led to increased self-censorship among users, with a
noticeable decline in political content online. The fear of legal repercussions has deterred individuals from expressing
dissenting views, thereby stifling public discourse.
Government's Rationale: Officials assert that these regulations are necessary to combat misinformation and maintain
social order. However, critics argue that such measures are disproportionate and serve to suppress legitimate criticism
and independent journalism.
(Ben, 2025)
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South Korea: The Itaewon Crowd Crush
Occurred on October 29, 2022, during Halloween celebrations in Itaewon,
Seoul.
159 fatalities, 196 injuries due to severe overcrowding in narrow alleyways.
Lack of crowd control measures contributed to the disaster.
(Koreaboo, 2022)
(Koreaboo, 2022)
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Eyewitnesses used social media (Twitter,
Instagram, YouTube, KakaoTalk) to share real-time
updates.
( Darrelle Ng et al., 2022)
Citizen-captured videos showed the chaotic
scene, slow emergency response, and lack of
police intervention.
Citizen reports pressured mainstream media and
government officials to act transparently.
(Fan, W & Laurence Peter, 2022)
(Koreaboo, 2022)
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1. Censorship & Information Restrictions:
Authorities urged mainstream media to limit
graphic coverage of the tragedy.
(the Vibes.com, 2022)
(Min-sik, 2024)
Families of victims reported difficulty in obtaining
full details about what happened.
Some citizen journalists were warned against
spreading “unverified” videos that could harm the
country’s image.
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2. Monitoring Citizen Journalism:
Citizen-captured videos helped
inaction and emergency failures.
expose
police
(Tan, 2022)
The government scrutinized social media posts, with
officials urging citizens to avoid spreading panicinducing content.
Police later used citizen footage for investigations but
warned about privacy concerns.
(Tan, 2022)
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Singapore: Government Regulation & Citizen
Journalism
Tightly Regulated Media Environment
Strict Media Regulations – Under POFMA, the
government controls misinformation through factchecking and legal actions (IMDA, 2024).
State-Controlled Media – Major outlets like
Mediacorp and SPH Media Trust dominate, limiting
independent reporting; The Online Citizen (TOC) shut
down in 2021 (CNA, 2021).
Challenges for Citizen Journalists – Strict laws lead
to self-censorship and legal risks; Wake Up, Singapore
received a POFMA correction in 2022 (CNA, 2022).
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STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) Launched by The Straits Times, STOMP is a
platform that encourages citizen journalism by
allowing readers to contribute news stories,
photos, and videos. It focuses on social news
and happenings within Singapore. (Stomp,
2017)
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Collaboration with Fact-Checking Organizations - Local
fact-checking entities, including CheckMate, Black Dot
Research, and the government's Factually portal, have
expanded their efforts to counter misinformation. (Chia, 2024)
Upcoming Initiatives: Ahead of the General Elections in
2025, these organizations plan to integrate artificial
intelligence into their verification processes and aim to
double their volunteer networks to enhance fact-checking
efficiency.
CheckMate's team of volunteer factcheckers
(Chia, 2024)
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Singapore Government Partnerships Office (SGPO)
- The SGPO is established to lead engagements and
partnerships between the government and citizens.
(Forwardsingapore.gov.sg, 2023)
Role: It facilitates interactions between proactive
citizens and relevant government agencies,
strengthening collaborations to address
misinformation and other societal challenges.
(Forwardsingapore.gov.sg, 2023)
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Balancing Free Speech and Regulation –
Critics argue that POFMA disproportionately
affects independent media and citizen
journalists, limiting their ability to report on
government policies and political issues.
Wake Up, Singapore received a POFMA
correction directive in 2022 for
publishing false information regarding a
miscarriage case in a local hospital.
A screengrab of an Instagram post by Wake Up Singapore on Mar 25,
2022 with an admission from an unidentified woman that her claims
(CNA, 2022)
against KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital were doctored.
(CNA, 2022)
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Defamation Cases Against Independent Journalists
- The Online Citizen (TOC), one of Singapore’s most
prominent citizen journalism platforms, was shut down in
2021 after failing to comply with regulatory
requirements.
Terry Xu, chief editor of TOC, was sued for
defamation by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong over
an article on a family dispute. In 2021, the High
Court ordered him to pay S$210,000 in damages,
raising concerns about defamation laws restricting
independent journalism. (Lum, 2023)
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and chief editor
of The Online Citizen Terry Xu arrive at the Supreme
Court on Nov 30, 2020 for the defamation trial.
(CNA, 2019)
Conclusion
Citizen journalism plays a crucial role in amplifying public voices and
providing real-time information, especially during crises.
Government collaboration can enhance credibility by promoting factchecking and responsible reporting while preventing misinformation.
However, strict regulations may limit press freedom, raising concerns about
media control and independent journalism.
Finding a balanced approach between press freedom and media
regulation is essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and public
trust in news reporting.
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