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ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship ruary 2016), available at: https://www.malaymail. com/news/malaysia/2016/02/26/minister-justifies-tmi-block- says-due-to-contradictory-report-onmacc-panel/1068543 70. Outright International, No Access: LGBTIQ Website Censorship In Six Countries, (10 August 2021), available at: https://outrightinternational.org/content/noaccess-lgbtiq-website-censorship-six-countries 71. New Straits Times, MCMC: Almost 3,000 pornographic sites blocked since Sept 2018, (25 January 2021), available at: https://www.nst.com.my/ news/crime-courts/2021/01/660369/mcmc-almost3000-pornographic-sites-blocked-sept-2018 72. Asia Centre, Internet Freedoms in Malaysia: Regulating Online Discourse on Race, Religion, and Royalty 2023, (2023), available at: https://cnxus.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Internet-Freedoms-In-Malaysia-Regulating-Online-Discourse-on-Race-Religion-and-Royalty-.pdf 73. CIJ Malaysia, CIJ wants fair and equal media access to Parliament, (17 October 2020), available at: https://cijmalaysia.net/cij-wants-fair-and-equal-media-access-to-parliament/ 74. CIJ Malaysia, CIJ wants fair and equal media access to Parliament, (17 October 2020), available at: https://cijmalaysia.net/cij-wants-fair-and-equalmedia-access-to-parliament/; IFEX, Malaysia: Media advocacy groups demand fair and equal media access to parliament, (14 September 2021), available at: https://ifex.org/malaysia-media-advocacy-groups-demand-fair-and-equal-media-coverage-to-parliament/ 75. ARTICLE 19, Malaysian Federal Court decision against online news portal Malaysiakini a setback to media freedom and freedom of expression, (23 February 2021), available at: https://www.article19. org/resources/malaysian-federal-court-decision-against-online-news-portal-malaysiakini-a-setback-to-media-freedom-and-freedom-of-expression/ 76. Malaymail, Civil society groups rally behind Malaysiakini, calling for recognition of press freedom, (19 February 2021), available at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2021/02/19/civil-society-groups-rally-behind-malaysiakini-calling-for-recognition-of-p/1951147 77. Borneo Post Online, PRS’ Cyber-Troopers Ready for Coming Polls, (22 March 2012), available at: https:// www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/22/prs-cybertroopers-ready-for-coming-polls/; Dap Malaysia, Najib’s new army of cyber troopers with a history of dirty tricks is proof that the 13th general election will be the dirtiest election yet, (21 November 2011), 176 available at: https://dapmalaysia.org/english/2011/ nov11/lge/lge1414.htm; Oxford Internet Institute, Use Of Social Media To Manipulate Public Opinion Now A Global Problem, Says New Report, (26 September 2019), available at: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/ news/releases/use-of-social-media-to-manipulatepublic-opinion-now-a-global-problem-says-new-report/ 78. New Straits Times, RM85.5 million allocation for Jasa slashed by more than half, (10 December 2020), available at: https://www.nst.com.my/ news/government-public-policy/2020/12/648391/ rm855-million-allocation-jasa-slashed-more-half; Malaysiakini, Jasa is political, no need to be apologetic, ex-Jasa head tells Saifuddin, (9 November 2020), available at: https://www.malaysiakini.com/ news/550063 79. ARTICLE 19, Briefing Paper: Blasphemy Provisions in Malaysian Law, (January 2021), available at: https://www.article19.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/01/2021.01.20-Malaysia-blasphemy-briefing-paper-final.pdf 80. New Straits Times, MCMC can remove insulting posts without reporting, (3 June 2022), available at: https://www.nst.com.my/news/ nation/2022/06/802100/mcmc-can-remove-insulting-posts-without-reporting 81. Marketing Interactive, MCMC warns against provocative social posts after May 13 TikToks surface, (22 November 2022), available at: https://www. marketing-interactive.com/mcmc-warns-malaysians-against-provocative-social-posts 82. Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Public Urged To Report ‘3R’ Content On Social Media To MCMC, (17 August 2019), available at: https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/ media/press-clippings/public-urged-to-report%E2%80%983r%E2%80%99-content-on-social-medi; Manushya Foundation, Are We Free Online? – Digital Rights in Malaysia, (14 September 2020), available at: https://www.manushyafoundation.org/post/arewe-free-online-digital-rights-in-malaysia 83. The Diplomat, Backsliding Reformists: Malaysia’s Government Revives Crackdown on Media Freedoms, (19 September 2023), available at : https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/backsliding-reformists-malaysias-government-revives-crackdown-on-media-freedoms/ 84. Centre for Independent Journalism, Freedom of Expression in Malaysia: A Factsheet for Advocacy, (November 2023), available at: https://www.upr-info. org/sites/default/files/country-document/2023-11/ CIJ_Factsheet_Freedom_of_Expression.pdf Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia

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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024

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English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Information Operation
Internet Restrictions

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MANUSHYA

Date Published: Mar 8, 2024

Abstract: Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024 Whether we like it or not, we are living through a pivotal moment for the future of human rights. This includes the issue of our digital rights, and the question of our online freedoms. In places like Southeast Asia, where the majority of its peoples are experiencing immense threats to their online and offline freedoms, at the hands of opportunistic governments and corporations, this is especially prevalent. The digital space has become an integral part of human life, and is still growing in its influence over our world. Accordingly, if our freedoms in the digital space are endangered, our freedoms overall are endangered as well.

It is understandable to feel powerless while possessing this knowledge. But it is not enough to just know about the forces acting against our human rights, and understand that they are dangerous. If we truly want to create a safer, more equitable, more liberated world - which we all know, deep down, is possible - we must understand these forces, and act accordingly. We must equip ourselves with knowledge about what governments, corporations, and other powers that be are doing, alongside demanding our rights to freedom. The powers that be have weaponised the online and digital space, as well as the law, against the people that these things are supposed to serve and protect. It is our right to protect ourselves with research, knowledge, advocacy, and the power of the people. When we understand the powers we are up against, fighting back will become less daunting.

This is what our report, titled Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia, is for. Join us in powering ourselves with knowledge, in order to compel ourselves to action!

As always, our work is rooted in decolonial, feminist, intersectional values, with historically marginalised people at the centre. Thus, this work was a collaboration between a coalition of groups oriented in these values: ALTSEAN-Burma, Cambodian Center for Human Rights, ELSAM, Free Expression Myanmar, Foundation for Media Alternatives, ILGA Asia, Manushya Foundation, The Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, SAFEnet, Viet Tan, and Women’s Peace Network. What is the ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship? The ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship was established in 2020, by human rights and digital rights activists from Southeast Asia, on a mission to decolonize digital rights and restore our online democracies.

Together, we stand in solidarity with one another, with people from the Global Majority, resisting and pushing back against authoritarian governments and complicit tech companies.

We tell our realities from the ground, and we develop solutions together.

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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024

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