Gov’t to crackdown on Internet flaming

September 2 , 2020

On September 1, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications unveiled a policy package cracking down on vituperative postings against individuals on social media and other Internet sites, including self-regulation of providers and platforms. The ministry’s latest move is based almost entirely on recommendations submitted by Komeito in June.

Social media operators, for instance, will be asked to enhance transparency and accountability of their platforms, making it easier to identify anonymous posters and to disclose telephone numbers of particularly vile offenders as well as to preserve logs of their postings. New court procedures against such individuals will also be established, as well a national help center for victims.

If these self-regulatory steps are deemed ineffective, the government will examine the possibility of instituting specific legal statures.