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Cambodia that there is now no independent media outlet left inside the country. During that election year, the government also ordered internet service providers to block the websites and social media channels of Radio Free Asia (RFA) and other online news outlets52. A letter dated July 12, 2023 from the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia accused RFA of reporting that could “make confusion, affect the government’s honor and prestige, and fail to fulfill the operating conditions of the Information Ministry.”53 The letter also ordered the blocking of Kamnotra, a public database website run by the VOD’s operator CCIM, and the Cambodia Daily Khmer. Controlling information is a tactic adopted by the government to limit public access to information to those acceptable by the regime. The efforts to control information by cracking down on independent media has reshaped Cambodia’s media sphere from being a thriving environment to be among the most suppressed. Before the crackdown, people were able to reliably learn about political information from media 51 52 53 54 55 including the Cambodia Daily and the Phnom Penh Post, which independently reported on government activities. Following the crackdown, the media landscape in the country has been dominated by those controlled by Hun Sen’s cronies, which constantly spew propaganda and pro-government narratives. Fresh News, in particular, has grown within a few years to become the dominant digital outlet providing pro-government narratives, often including exclusive interviews with Hun Sen54. Moreover, observers have also noted the increasing use of social media to shape public opinion as people turned towards Facebook in par ticular following the crackdown on independent media55. The platform has been vital to Hun Sen’s political strategy as well as other CPP leaders, including his son and successor, Hun Manet. As an avid Facebook user, Hun Sen regularly uses the platform to connect to his supporters via a page that showcases his daily life and political activities, as well as to attack or threaten his opponents or critics. However, the authenticity of the page’s 14 Ratcliffe, Rebecca. “Dictator Hun Sen Shuts Down Cambodia’s VOD Broadcaster.” The Guardian, 13 Feb. 2023, www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/13/dictator-hun-sen-shuts-down-cambodias-vod-broadcaster. “Hun Sen’s Government Orders RFA, Other News Outlet Websites Blocked.” Radio Free Asia, 7 July 2023, www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/media-sites-blocked-07172023171743.html. Davin, Noeurn, and Lors Liblib. “Cambodian Government Blocks News Sites Before Unopposed Election.” Voice of America, 17 July 2023, www.voanews.com/a/cambodian-government-blocks-news-sitesbefore-unopposed-election-/7185151.html. “Cambodia’s Fresh News: Is It Journalism With Chinese Characteristics?” South China Morning Post, 3 June 2018, www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/2149029/cambodias-fresh-news-it-journalismchinese-characteristics. Wright, George, and George Styllis. “Facebook Now ‘Crucial’ News Source in Run-up to Cambodia Election.” Nikkei Asia, 12 July 2018, asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Hun-Sen-s-Cambodia/Facebook-now-crucialnews-source-in-run-up-to-Cambodia-election. 27

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

Report

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Language

English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Information Operation
Internet Connectivity / Accessibility
Internet Restrictions

Author(s)

DigitalReach

Date Published: Aug 6, 2024

Abstract: It is undeniable that information technology has significantly impacted human rights and democracy these days. Different governments around Southeast Asia continually attempt to control digital space through, for example, using repressive laws and regulations, forcing social media platforms to follow their orders, and using spyware and similar technology to surveil critics. In Southeast Asia, democracy and human rights have deteriorated because of these attempts, especially for countries under authoritarian regimes.

In order to better understand the situation, DigitalReach publishes annual reports to present and analyze the events and trends around the region. The 2023 annual report analyzes the digital rights situation in eight countries across Southeast Asia—namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam–from January 2023 to December 2023, with glimpses of key updates into 2024, given the timing of its release.

The report format has been changed completely from the previous years. In order to more systematically present the developments observed, the report is organized into three key areas: (1) Legal and Policy Developments, (2) Information Control and Manipulation, and (3) Threats Against Critics and Political Opposition.

From a regional perspective, legal and policy developments in countries that are known to restrict human rights are still mainly about using or coming up with new policies to further suppress human rights in the digital sphere. Countries considered to be more democratic also attempt to change or repeal their laws, but still without a clear sign of improvement toward digital rights.

In terms of information control and manipulation, social media platforms continue to be deployed for political ends, with different platforms serving a specific purpose for each country. The shift toward short video format, TikTok in particular, continued from 2022 to contribute toward information disorder, especially during election periods. The use of video shorts is important when targeting young voters, who played an important role in determining election results in Thailand and Indonesia this year like they did in the Philippines and Malaysia in 2022. State-sponsored cyber armies were also documented, while some governments preferred to assert more effective control of social media platforms. Other important methods related to the flow of information include suppression of media freedom and internet disruptions, which are particularly severe in Myanmar following the 2021 coup.

Judicial harassment is a key form of threat used against critics and political opposition in 2023. It is still common for people in Southeast Asia to be thrown in jail for what they say or do online. Others who do not subscribe to the government’s ideology face online harassment from state-sponsored cyber armies or government supporters. In terms of surveillance, 5 out of 8 countries included in this report have been found to have or are likely to have spyware technology.

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Myanmar Internet Project

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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