ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship When there are no clear guidelines for punishing specific wrong actions, those in power can unfairly punish individuals. By deliberately avoiding the establishment of such limits, the authorities seek to stifle the very essence of democracy and suppress dissenting voices. –Emilie Palamy Pradichit, Founder and Executive Director of Manushya Foundation as indicated in Lao PDR’s legislation and regulation. The range of prohibitions applies to the online space as the Decree explicitly covers information shared on social media platforms and websites. Terms such as “false,” “misleading” or “untrue” information are vague and open to misapplication. Article 26 lists a number of sanctions applicable to individuals, legal entities or organisations who violate the Decree. These sanctions range from warnings, education, penalty, fines, to criminal prosecution, depending on the severity of the case. Nevertheless, it does not specify the violations to which each sanction corresponds, allowing the authorities to arbitrarily punish legitimate criticism against government policies.8 Early in August 2023, the Ministry of Technology and Communications of the Lao government announced its intention to regulate social media utilisation both inside and outside the country.11 A representative from the Lao Ministry of Defence and Security indicated that those who use social media to spread false news, distort information, or criticise the government may face repercussions. Initially, so-called “education” would be enforced for the first offence, with legal punishment and prosecution ensuing for subsequent The 2021 Special Task Force to control the spread of ‘fake news’ related to the COVID-19 pandemic In May 2021, the Ministry of Public Security ordered the establishment of a “special task force” designated for tracking and combating online “fake news” concerning the COVID-19 pandemic on social media platforms. The task force is to be composed of officials from the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, and public security and police divisions.9 120 The 2023 Social Media Clampdown: the Lao government’s Intention to Address ‘Fake News’ from social media accounts inside and outside Lao PDR (Laos) 10 offences. This measure seeks to maintain societal order and address the issue of foreign media outlets that disturb the peace, misrepresent the facts, or criticise the actions of Lao authorities. The government elaborated that while it intended to exercise control over the content shared on domestic social media platforms, the primary challenge lies in effectively managing the content originating from accounts or individuals located outside the country that spread ‘fake news’ about the Lao government. The stakes are elevated. The government is not only determined Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia