2 Dictating the Internet: TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary....................................................................... 5 I. Background............................................................................ 8 II. International law and standards.......................................... 15 i. The right to freedom of expression, opinion and information...17 ii. Potential limitations on right to freedom of expression and opinion............................................................................19 iii. Obligations to protect that may restrict expression and opinion............................................................................21 iv. The right to effective remedy.............................................22 v. Protection of rights to freedom of expression, opinion and information online............................................................23 vi. The right to privacy..........................................................27 vii. Extraterritoriality..............................................................30 viii. The rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of association, and political participation.........................................................31 ix. International standards and commentary pertaining to internet restrictions and shutdowns ....................................34 x. Other efforts to develop international normative standards governing cyberspace.......................................................36 III. Employing legal frameworks which serve to abusively restrict freedom of expression, opinion and information online ...... 39 (a) Existing legal frameworks .................................................43 i. Laws which aim to protect the reputation of legal persons...... 43 Philippines.................................................................44 Myanmar ..................................................................45 Thailand....................................................................50 Indonesia..................................................................56 Singapore.................................................................58