A GOVERNMENT-appointed council has recommended that a law banning party political films be repealed - but in stages.

This was a key thrust of the final report submitted by the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (Aims) to the Government on Tuesday.

The report incorporates feedback the council had sought during a public consultation process that began six weeks ago, when it released a consultation paper.

The council received 87 emails and SMS messages from the public.

One firm recommendation it is making is to repeal Section 33 of the Films Act, a section that prohibits the making, distributing and exhibiting of party political films. But it should be done in phases, it added.

The recommendation is one of three choices it had suggested in the earlier consultation paper. The other two are: Repeal it outright, and narrow its scope

Aims said in its report: 'As a first step, the Government should decriminalise the making of such films, and narrow the scope of the law to target only those that are made to intentionally mislead views.'

An independent advisory panel made up of 'citizens of high standing, who are non-partisan and whose views carry weight with the public' can help determine which are such films, it suggested.

Over 172 pages, the report also covered three other areas.

One, it recommended that the Government should step up engagement of citizens online.

For instance, it should set up a panel of Internet-savvy whizkids -- or what Aims calls 'young digital natives' -- as a consultative body.

It should also consider giving more space to civil servants to voice their opinions.

Two, the Government should set up a dedicated agency for the protection of minors who go online. It can administer an annual fund that will go towards - among other activities - educating parents, teachers and minors in media literacy.

Thirdly, there should be laws to protect websites that play host to content provided by the public, from defamation suits.

Aims report is available online at http://www.aims.org.sg.