Chelsea (PEEL)

º POINT
The increasing access to information on the internet has roused more problems than solutions, especially in the field of security where the invasion of privacy is highly prominent due to the influx of easily accessible information which has made it difficult to validate its effectiveness.

ºEXPLANATION
As more and more people post their original works online for the purpose of sharing collaborative efforts, we see an incline in the amount of personal data floating around the internet without feasible security measures to protect it from being infringed. Although copy right laws have been implemented to ensure that the owners of intellectual properties have been rightfully credited, the issue of easily accessible information on a wide-spread scale has given birth to a virtual epidemic known as internet piracy - the unlawful reproduction and/or distribution of any copyrighted file that has been circulated over the internet.

ºEVIDENCE
This point is illustrated by the recent news of the FBI taking down an online platform (Megaupload.com) for providing an avenue for the distribution of illegal materials that had been accused of infringement, in 2012. The article is further reinforced by the statement made in parliament in March 2012 by Law Minister K Shanmugam who voiced, I quote, "On an average, it was estimated that there were more than 300,000 cases of illegal downloading each month in Singapore alone - the worst among 15 countries in the region." This reiterates our stand in that although laws exist to protect privacy, they are not efficient in carrying out its intended purpose.

ºLINK-BACK/ WEIGHING
As such, the increasing access to information on the internet is actually more of a bane than a boon. Intellectual properties are only useful to develop creativity and innovation through inspirations from said original works. However, exploitation of accessibility is more evident in the present as enforced laws are begin disregarded. With copy right laws becoming obsolete, the promotion of infringement is the only logical pursuit as its importance remains in detrimental states. However, through the implementation and promotion of open-mindedness in respect to the issue of copy right infringement, the inclination of piracy acts can be thwarted to a significant degree.