M.I.A has praised the internet for allowing musicians the chance to respond to negative press.

In May, the singer used her Twitter account to respond to a New York Times profile, in which she claimed she had been misquoted.

As well as attacking the paper, M.I.A also published journalist Lynne Hirschberg's phone number and wrote a song about the incident.

In an interview with MTV, the Sri-Lankan born star admitted her reaction “might have been a bit impulsive”, but defended the tools she used to respond.

“For the first time you have the tools to fight back,” she told MTV.

“Imagine if Amy Winehouse and Lindsay Lohan and all these people were able to fight back using the internet, because you can.”

M.I.A also claimed that Hirschberg's profile was an example of “weak, lazy journalism”.

(by Jason Gregory)