Rumor: Barbados to curtail basic freedom of speech?

(CMR) A list of stringent laws curtailing freedom of speech, specifically to the use of social media, which is being circulated locally, may have come from Barbados. However, Barbados' Attorney General Dale Marshall has reportedly dismissed the laws purporting to be snippets from the Computer Misuse Bill as garbage.

He said the misinformation being circulated is not a part of the cybercrime statute to replace the 2005 Computer Misuse Act. Barbados' cybercrime legislation is expected to go before Parliament soon.

At first, the list was rumored to be for the Cayman Islands; however, CMR reached out for comment from Premier Panton over the weekend, and he confirmed it was definitely not Cayman.

The list of laws includes the following:

– A person who uses a cellphone or an electronic device to record a fight of any kind is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to $5000 or 5 years in prison or both.

-A person who uses a cellphone or any electronic device to record a police officer in the execution of their duties is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to $10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.

– A person who wants to use a cellphone or any electronic device to carry out recordings of themselves that might contain misinformation to present that information to the public must first seek the permission of the Government Information Service (GIS).

– A person who uses a cellphone or any electronic device without the permission of the Government Information Service (GIS) to make any recordings of themselves that might carry misinformation is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $ 10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.

– A person who records another person without their permission is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to $ 10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.

– A person who stores videos of any kind on a cellphone or any electronic device for the purpose of recirculation at a later date without the permission of the parties involved is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $ 10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.

– A person who has a need to use a computer or a cellphone, or any electronic device to post videos of themselves that contains any information on the Government of Barbados must first secure permission from the Government Information Service (GIS).

– A person who has not sought and received permission from the Government Information Service (GIS) before recording and posting information that can be cited as misinformation is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.

– A person who uses the platforms of social media of any kind to send or share misinformation false or misleading information is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 or both.

– A person who uses a cellphone or any electronic device to make recordings of any activities, such as projects or any business, being undertaken for which a minister is assigned, without the permission of the minister is guilty of an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 or 5 years in prison or both.