10-year vision for infocomm, media sectors unveiled | TODAYonline:
Panel seeks feedback from industry and public
By
Joy Fang
Published: March 31, 4:13 AM
SINGAPORE — In the years ahead, seniors could tap on enhanced speech and visual recognition technologies, coupled with more intuitive user interfaces, to control and navigate content with ease, while communities could be part of a virtual “kampung”, using their time, not cash, to pay for services rendered.
Students from the primary to post-secondary level could be studying coding and computational thinking and at the tertiary level, those not studying infocomm and media (ICM) — such as students in law, healthcare and business — will be encouraged to take it as a recognised minor, with subjects such as data analysis, modelling and simulation on offer.
These are among 13 ideas that a high-level steering committee — formed by the Government to chart the next phase of development in the ICM industries — has proposed as part of its vision for the next 10 years, starting from next year.
The ideas are grouped under five strategies: To ensure a “pervasive, agile and robust” infrastructure, build vibrant ICM sectors, develop human capital, enable people and businesses to harness infocomm technologies, and to create a research and development ecosystem that supports innovation and commercialisation.
Stressing that the ideas are all preliminary and subject to refinement, the committee yesterday released its 10-year infocomm and media master plan for public consultation. It hopes to consult the industry and public from next month to August to get feedback and glean new ideas.
The two sectors have been rapidly developing due to the prevalence of high-speed connectivity, widespread use of mobile devices and digitisation of information. Currently, these sectors contribute about a 10th of Singapore’s gross domestic product. The nominal value-added of the infocomm and media sectors respectively jumped from S$19 billion in 2008 to S$21 billion in 2011, and from S$6.4 billion in 2008 to S$8 billion in 2011.
The committee hopes the master plan can contribute to a better quality of life for Singaporeans through innovative solutions, encourage the creation of revolutionary products and services here, and build a nation that advocates cutting-edge technologies.
Under its strategy of enabling people to harness infocomm technologies, the committee’s proposed virtual “kampung” would see an individual, for instance, earn two “time-credits” for helping someone with a service, such as grocery shopping. He can then spend these two credits on someone else who offers another service, such as providing tuition for his grandson.
The committee called this system a Community Time Exchange. Known as time banks overseas and a hit in the United States and United Kingdom, it will help connect people together and build stronger communities, said the committee. Some examples overseas include the Fair Shares community time banks in Gloucester and the Nippon Active Life Club in Japan.
To establish an agile, pervasive and trusted ICM infrastructure, an idea proposed by the committee is the installation of a common sensor infrastructure outdoors.
Currently, outdoor sensors are deployed in an ad-hoc manner, with limited coordination and planning across service providers, resulting in long and costly deployment processes, said the committee.
For instance, the traffic light and street lighting control system is under the purview of the Land Transport Authority, the PUB has water-level sensors for the monitoring of the drainage system and the National Environment Agency regulates water pollution and quality in Singapore’s sewerage system through water-quality sensors.
By setting up a new infrastructure for nationwide sensor deployment, termed Above Ground Box, sensor infrastructure across the island can be more “speedy, secure, cost-effective and scalable”, said the committee.
As for the new media service for seniors, Mr Eddie Chau, a committee member and the founder of iSentia Brandtology, pointed out that the technology today “needs to be revamped just to suit the next generation of seniors”.
For instance, a computer mouse may be tough to use for seniors who have problems with hand mobility, he said. “So how can they get engaged when they can’t even move or click it? There are a lot of things we need to do, (there are) a lot of opportunities,” he added.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Users can 'unlist' numbers from phone directory services
Users can 'unlist' numbers from phone directory services:
Published on Jan 15, 2014
FROM April 1, it will no longer be mandatory for fixed-line operators to publish directories of residential telephone number listings ("Grey areas in new phone listing rules" by Mr Francis Cheng; Forum Online, Dec 25). These changes reflect the decline in the demand for such services and concerns about the open publication of personal data.
Recognising that some individuals may wish to search for the phone numbers of people they know, operators will have to continue providing the "Service 100" directory inquiry service for callers seeking particular residential telephone numbers.
Operators such as StarHub may voluntarily choose to continue publishing directories containing residential listings with listed numbers, in printed form, CD-ROMs or online. Users will be given a one-time option to unlist from such directory services free of charge. Once the number is unlisted, it will not appear in any commercially/voluntarily published directories and the "Service 100" directory inquiry database.
The Infocomm Development Authority's decision covers fixed-line numbers starting with only "6" and excludes mobile numbers because there was no regulatory requirement to publish mobile numbers.
Under the Personal Data Protection Act, organisations should use personal data only for the purposes for which the data was collected, and cannot disclose the data to other organisations without explicit consent.
If you register your mobile number to obtain one-time passwords for your credit cards, or for the purpose of hospital appointment notifications, the relevant organisations should not use these for other purposes without your consent.
Ng Sook Fun (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Published on Jan 15, 2014
FROM April 1, it will no longer be mandatory for fixed-line operators to publish directories of residential telephone number listings ("Grey areas in new phone listing rules" by Mr Francis Cheng; Forum Online, Dec 25). These changes reflect the decline in the demand for such services and concerns about the open publication of personal data.
Recognising that some individuals may wish to search for the phone numbers of people they know, operators will have to continue providing the "Service 100" directory inquiry service for callers seeking particular residential telephone numbers.
Operators such as StarHub may voluntarily choose to continue publishing directories containing residential listings with listed numbers, in printed form, CD-ROMs or online. Users will be given a one-time option to unlist from such directory services free of charge. Once the number is unlisted, it will not appear in any commercially/voluntarily published directories and the "Service 100" directory inquiry database.
The Infocomm Development Authority's decision covers fixed-line numbers starting with only "6" and excludes mobile numbers because there was no regulatory requirement to publish mobile numbers.
Under the Personal Data Protection Act, organisations should use personal data only for the purposes for which the data was collected, and cannot disclose the data to other organisations without explicit consent.
If you register your mobile number to obtain one-time passwords for your credit cards, or for the purpose of hospital appointment notifications, the relevant organisations should not use these for other purposes without your consent.
Ng Sook Fun (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Saturday, November 9, 2013
English losing its appeal in China | TODAYonline
English losing its appeal in China | TODAYonline:
As the economy matures, many Chinese see new job opportunities that do not require English
08 November
SHANGHAI — Ms Marina Wang used English every day when she worked at a British company in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. But her use of the language dropped to virtually zero when she quit to work for a Chinese bank in her home province of Hubei.
Though she majored in English in college, she does not miss speaking it. “My new job offers greater economic stability and allows me to live near my parents,” she said. “English is not required because I communicate mainly with Chinese customers.”
Her story is one example of a broader debate taking place over China’s long-time emphasis on teaching English that experts say could prompt a rethink about why and how Chinese learn the language.
Estimates vary, but state media China Daily said there were as many as 400 million English-language learners in China at the beginning of this decade. In 2011, the market for English-language training was worth 46.3 billion yuan (S$9.4 billion), according to market data provider Beijing Zhongzhilin Information Technology.
Yet, as China’s economy matures, creating a domestic consumer class and home-grown companies to serve it, many Chinese such as Ms Wang see new job opportunities that do not require English. Meanwhile, some critics blame an overemphasis on English in schools for contributing to an erosion of Chinese skills in young people.
“We may be on the brink of a change of status in relation to English in China,” said Mr David Graddol, an education consultant based in Hong Kong. “In the past, the main driver of English has been the need to pass national exams. In the future, this may decline — but the need to be able to communicate in English may increase,” he said.
Earlier this year, a group of top Chinese universities, including Beijing Institute of Technology, dropped the English test requirement from their independent entrance examinations for study in some fields such as engineering.
Last month, education authorities in the city of Beijing announced proposals to reduce the weight given to English test scores in critical public examinations, including the college admissions tests, or gaokao.
Other provinces, including Shandong and Jiangsu, are looking at making modifications too.
Mr Wang Xuming, a former spokesman for China’s Education Ministry, had also called for an end to the teaching of English to very young children, suggesting more time to be given to the study of Chinese.
An editorial early last month in the nationalist daily The Global Times said it was time for China to cool down its English mania.
“It is time that we pour some cold water on the mania, reversing the tendency of excessive emphasis on English education and learning at an increasingly young age,” it said.
Still, Mr Christopher McCormick, head of EF Education First’s academic affairs and research network, said China is going from strength to strength in its drive to increase English language proficiency, especially considering the sheer size of the country and its population. But China cannot be complacent, he said.
Prominent English private tuition companies in China such as Zurich, Switzerland-based EF Education First and United States-listed New Oriental Education & Technology Group are following the English debate here closely.
In a recent conference call with investors, New Oriental President Louis Hsieh said the reallocation of gaokao points to Chinese and mathematics away from English was “obviously not a positive development for New Oriental”.
But he said the changes would not affect the company too much because English enhances employment chances. “How are these people going to find jobs if they don’t speak English?” he asked.
DOW JONES
As the economy matures, many Chinese see new job opportunities that do not require English
08 November
SHANGHAI — Ms Marina Wang used English every day when she worked at a British company in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. But her use of the language dropped to virtually zero when she quit to work for a Chinese bank in her home province of Hubei.
Though she majored in English in college, she does not miss speaking it. “My new job offers greater economic stability and allows me to live near my parents,” she said. “English is not required because I communicate mainly with Chinese customers.”
Her story is one example of a broader debate taking place over China’s long-time emphasis on teaching English that experts say could prompt a rethink about why and how Chinese learn the language.
Estimates vary, but state media China Daily said there were as many as 400 million English-language learners in China at the beginning of this decade. In 2011, the market for English-language training was worth 46.3 billion yuan (S$9.4 billion), according to market data provider Beijing Zhongzhilin Information Technology.
Yet, as China’s economy matures, creating a domestic consumer class and home-grown companies to serve it, many Chinese such as Ms Wang see new job opportunities that do not require English. Meanwhile, some critics blame an overemphasis on English in schools for contributing to an erosion of Chinese skills in young people.
“We may be on the brink of a change of status in relation to English in China,” said Mr David Graddol, an education consultant based in Hong Kong. “In the past, the main driver of English has been the need to pass national exams. In the future, this may decline — but the need to be able to communicate in English may increase,” he said.
Earlier this year, a group of top Chinese universities, including Beijing Institute of Technology, dropped the English test requirement from their independent entrance examinations for study in some fields such as engineering.
Last month, education authorities in the city of Beijing announced proposals to reduce the weight given to English test scores in critical public examinations, including the college admissions tests, or gaokao.
Other provinces, including Shandong and Jiangsu, are looking at making modifications too.
Mr Wang Xuming, a former spokesman for China’s Education Ministry, had also called for an end to the teaching of English to very young children, suggesting more time to be given to the study of Chinese.
An editorial early last month in the nationalist daily The Global Times said it was time for China to cool down its English mania.
“It is time that we pour some cold water on the mania, reversing the tendency of excessive emphasis on English education and learning at an increasingly young age,” it said.
Still, Mr Christopher McCormick, head of EF Education First’s academic affairs and research network, said China is going from strength to strength in its drive to increase English language proficiency, especially considering the sheer size of the country and its population. But China cannot be complacent, he said.
Prominent English private tuition companies in China such as Zurich, Switzerland-based EF Education First and United States-listed New Oriental Education & Technology Group are following the English debate here closely.
In a recent conference call with investors, New Oriental President Louis Hsieh said the reallocation of gaokao points to Chinese and mathematics away from English was “obviously not a positive development for New Oriental”.
But he said the changes would not affect the company too much because English enhances employment chances. “How are these people going to find jobs if they don’t speak English?” he asked.
DOW JONES
Friday, October 11, 2013
China Has More Internet Monitors Than Soldiers
China Has More Internet Monitors Than Soldiers:
Lily Kuo for Quartz
China has 2 million people working as online monitors, according to a report last week by state news publication Beijing News — a new estimate that reveals the breadth of the country’s massive online censorship and surveillance systems. The monitors, who scour online comments and compile reports for officials or private businesses, outnumber even China’s 1.5 million active military personnel.
There is now an entire industry and profession dedicated to controlling — or attempting to control — China’s fast-moving social media world, where comments quickly go viral among the country’s 500 million Internet users. The People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party, is holding a four-day seminar this month where successful students can be certified as “public opinion analysts,” according to a Beijing Times report. Once certified, they’re eligible for jobs with China’s propaganda department, commercial companies, news websites or public relation firms.
Social media monitoring, a measure whose ostensible goal is social stability, has been turned into a “money-making machine for local governments [and] firms,” said Guobin Yang, a professor of sociology and communications at the University of Southern California, in comments on Twitter on Monday. The People’s Daily charges up to 4,000 renminbi ($650) for four days of training to become an analyst, Yang noted.
And for businesses or officials who need more than just monitoring, “black public relations” firms offers services like wiping negative articles from the Internet or blocking certain search terms. These cost at least 10,000 renminbi and and up to 1 million renminbi, respectively, according to a February report by Century Weekly.
Lily Kuo for Quartz
China has 2 million people working as online monitors, according to a report last week by state news publication Beijing News — a new estimate that reveals the breadth of the country’s massive online censorship and surveillance systems. The monitors, who scour online comments and compile reports for officials or private businesses, outnumber even China’s 1.5 million active military personnel.
There is now an entire industry and profession dedicated to controlling — or attempting to control — China’s fast-moving social media world, where comments quickly go viral among the country’s 500 million Internet users. The People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party, is holding a four-day seminar this month where successful students can be certified as “public opinion analysts,” according to a Beijing Times report. Once certified, they’re eligible for jobs with China’s propaganda department, commercial companies, news websites or public relation firms.
Social media monitoring, a measure whose ostensible goal is social stability, has been turned into a “money-making machine for local governments [and] firms,” said Guobin Yang, a professor of sociology and communications at the University of Southern California, in comments on Twitter on Monday. The People’s Daily charges up to 4,000 renminbi ($650) for four days of training to become an analyst, Yang noted.
And for businesses or officials who need more than just monitoring, “black public relations” firms offers services like wiping negative articles from the Internet or blocking certain search terms. These cost at least 10,000 renminbi and and up to 1 million renminbi, respectively, according to a February report by Century Weekly.
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