Same Tongzhi, Different Destiny Examining the Gay Website Regulations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan

Abstract

本研究以台灣、中國、香港及新加坡等四個以中國人爲主組成的社會爲主，檢驗在這些國家及地區的網路管制有何異同及意涵，特別是以同志網站爲研究重點，試圖從這些在政經體制、法律規範，以及社會發展型態都有其特殊形式的四個中國人社會，討論歸納出對這些具特殊性取向爲主的網站的管理異同之處。結果發現，台灣及香港如同政府尊重的媒體言論自由一樣，在既定的法律規範下，同志網站相對以自我自律及管理爲主，也因此造就了兩地蓬勃發展的多元同志文化。但在中國及新加坡方面，社會上雖沒有公開明顯的同志文化現形，但卻發現兩地政府雖然在政治、種族、色情等網站實行全世界知名的嚴格管制措施，但是在同志網站管制上卻有其開放的空間，在不觸及相關敏感議題及遵守法律的自我管制原則下，也讓此兩地的同志網站能穩定的成長經營，甚至是產生網站消費經濟的現象。從研究中可以看到同志網站的運作讓這些同志族群在社會中皆有一個另類發聲的管道，但在面對政府隨時可能來到的敵意及威脅，不論是那一個中國人社會，都有其特殊的自我管制方式及因應方式，讓網站得以繼續生存。

This study investigates the similarities, differences and implications of the Internet regulations in four Chinese societies, with particular regard to gay website regulations. In reality, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan have different political systems, ideologies and perspectives toward the role of law in society. These differences are also reflected in their Internet regulations. Compared to the prosperity of gay websites in Hong Kong and Taiwan, gay websites in Singapore and China continue to be fragile, but are steadily marching out of the closet encumbered by outmoded ideas of social control. Although it is very strictly-regulated in Singapore and China, the two governments are pragmatic and succeed in their policies because they impose strictures on gay website users who have to develop their own self-censorship. The growing commercialization of the gay space in Chinese-speaking cyberspace marks a paradoxical development of the internet where state control, a degree of freedom of expression, and self-censorship coexist. Even gay users in China and Singapore have tried to use the Internet as a mode of alternative expression, with some success and some failure in the face of government hostility.