社交媒体对新加坡大选影响力加大
For a country whose press freedom ranks alongside the likes of Libya, Belarus and Iraq, Singapore is enjoying a surprisingly vibrant media debate ahead of the city-state’s general election tomorrow — aided by the growing reach of social media.
虽然新加坡的新闻自由程度与利比亚、白俄罗斯及伊拉克等国处于同一水平，但在今日大选前夕，这个城市国家的媒体辩论却意外地活跃，这部分得益于社交媒体的影响力不断扩大。
Nine out of 10 Singaporeans own a smartphone — the highest penetration rate in the world, according to a Deloitte report — creating the platform for a political forum. The online conversation stands in contrast to Singapore’s mainstream media, which according to US campaign group Freedom House “remain tightly constrained. All domestic newspapers, radio stations, and television channels are owned by companies linked to the government.”
根据一份德勤(Deloitte)的报告，每10个新加坡人就有9个拥有智能手机，普及率居全球之冠，从而为政治讨论创造了平台。新加坡的网上讨论与其主流媒体上的报道形成对照，按照美国社会运动组织“自由之家”(Freedom House)的说法，后者“依然受到严格约束。新加坡所有国内报纸、广播电台及电视频道都由与政府有关的企业持有。”
Singapore ranks 153rd out of 180 countries in the 2015 World Press Freedom Index. There are curbs on online content and private ownership of satellite dishes is banned.
按照2015年世界新闻自由指数(World Press Freedom Index)，新加坡在180个国家中排名第153位。新加坡存在对网上内容的限制，该国也禁止私人安装卫星天线接收器。
The government has a history of launching legal action against bloggers who fall foul of tight publication laws. Those punished for their comments on social media include 16-year-old Amos Yee, who was jailed after publishing a video criticising the late Lee Kuan Yew that was deemed to have been obscene and insulting to religious feelings.
对违反该国严格出版法律的博客写手，新加坡政府还曾采取过法律行动。在因社交媒体言论而受到处罚的人中，有16岁的余澎杉(Amos Yee)，他因为发布视频批评已故的李光耀(Lee Kuan Yew)而被捕入狱，该视频被认为传播猥亵内容、伤害他人宗教情感。
Other targets have included Roy Ngerng, who in November was found guilty of defamation for criticising Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. After Mr Lee rejected an offer of damages from Mr Ngerng, the online community responded by raising more than S$110,000 for Mr Ngerng’s defence.
其他受到处罚的人还包括鄞义林(Roy Ngerng)。去年11月，他因批评新加坡总理李显龙(Lee Hsien Loong)而被判犯有诽谤罪。在李显龙拒绝接受鄞义林提出的赔偿金额后，新加坡网上社区为鄞义林筹集了逾11万新加坡元，支援他应诉。
But Singapore’s netizens have been increasingly vocal during the election campaign, through Twitter, Facebook and many online publications. “Social media has had an enormous impact,” says Jolene Tan, author and social commentator. “We’ve seen much more coverage of opposition parties.”
不过，在新加坡选战期间，该国网民通过Twitter、Facebook及许多其他网上渠道，正在发出越来越大的声音。作家兼社会评论人士Jolene Tan表示：“社交媒体拥有巨大影响力。我们看到的有关反对党的新闻报道多多了。”
Eugene Tan, political analyst and associate professor at Singapore Management University, says the influence of social media has already “forced a relaxation of Singapore’s control over the mainstream media”.
新加坡管理大学(Singapore Management University)副教授、政治分析人士陈庆文(Eugene Tan)表示，社交媒体的影响已“迫使新加坡放宽了对主流媒体的控制”。
Among the thorns in the government’s side is the citizen journalism of The Online Citizen, which was founded in the wake of the 2006 election and is run by volunteers and funded by donations ,including the sale of T-shirts.
“网络公民”(The Online Citizen)网站上的“公民新闻”（citizen journalism，指事发现场普通人即兴报道的新闻——译者注），就是新加坡政府的“眼中钉”之一。该网站成立于2006年大选之后，由志愿者运营，运营资金来自募捐、包括T恤衫义卖。
“Because we are run by volunteers, it doesn’t make sense for us to try and compete with the mainstream media,” says Kirsten Han, one of its journalists. “We have to find ways to make election coverage fun.”
该网站新闻人员之一Kirsten Han表示：“由于我们由志愿者运营，对我们来说，试图与主流媒体竞争是没有意义的。我们必须想办法让我们的选举报道有趣味。”
Such is the establishment’s ire at the publication, it was in 2011 officially labelled a political association, a move that forced it to declare donations and banned it from getting foreign funding.
新加坡当权者对该网站是如此恼火，以至于官方在2011年将该网站归类为政治组织，从而迫使该网站申报捐款来源，而且不得接受国外捐款。
Terry Xu, chief editor, says the rise of social media “empowers allows their voices to be heard”.
该网站总编辑Terry Xu表示，社交媒体的崛起“赋予了人民权力……让他们的声音能够被人听到”。
The country’s establishment is no stranger to the power of social media, with the prime minister regularly publishing statements on his Facebook and Twitter pages.
对于社交媒体的力量，新加坡当权者并不陌生。新加坡总理会定期在其Facebook和Twitter页面上发布声明。
The city-state’s demographics may have also contributed to the buzzing online community, with almost 10 per cent of the country’s 2.5m voters aged 21-25.
新加坡的人口结构或许也是其网络社区活跃的一个原因。新加坡250万选民有近10%的人年龄在21岁到25岁之间。
Whether social media buzz will translate into votes for any particular party is debatable. “Although social media is not going to be a game-changer for this election, it definitely will be in the next one or two elections,” says Prof Tan.
至于社交媒体上的喧嚣是否会转换为某个特定党派的选票，还有待辩论。陈庆文教授表示：“虽然社交媒体不会改变这次选举的局势，但它在今后一两次选举中绝对会成为决定局势走向的力量。”
Alan Chong, associate professor at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, adds: “Social media can swing a very tightly fought political contest. But if you are looking for decision impact on voting behaviour, it doesn’t yet cut it.”
新加坡拉惹勒南国际研究院(the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies)副教授张嘉松(Alan Chong)补充说：“社交媒体能左右一场双方势均力敌的政治角逐。然而，如果你期待的是它能影响选民的决定，它暂时还没这能力。”
