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Key Developments ● The Vietnam government has been tightening controls of online space over the past years. Several laws which were in the process of drafting were finalized and became ready for the enforcement in 2023. These include the amendment of the Telecommunication Law and Decree 72. ● The Vietnamese government continues to control information through strict censorship, forcing social media platforms to operate domestically, and deploying a state-sponsored cyber army—all of which continued to be documented in 2023. ● Threats against dissidents continue to persist in 2023, with many of those who are critical of the government also charged under repressive laws. Vietnam is also able to reach activists outside the country, after an activist with refugee status was abducted and resurfaced in a prison inside the country. ● The government has been alleged to use the spyware Predator against officials of other countries for political purposes. This has added to the capacity that the government can deploy in pursuit of its security interests. 1. Overview Vietnam has been ruled by the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) since 1975. The most powerful political positions within the country are the so-called “Four Pillars”, which are the top posts that are most decisive in leading the country. These are the General Secretary of the Party, President, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the National Assembly. The Political Bureau (Politburo) of the party’s Central Standing Committee is the highest body of the CPV. The General Secretary was Nguyen Phu Trong, who has held the position since 2011 until his death in 2024. He was considered as the most powerful person in the country. 100 Over the years, the CPV has maintained a tight grip on power in every possible way. With communications having shifted online, its control also expanded to cover digital space. This included the adoption and amendment of several laws over the years, notably the Cybersecurity Law. In 2023, the Vietnamese government also announced amendments to the Telecommunication Law and updates to Decree 72 on regulating internet services and online information. Government control of digital space partly aims to also control information, as it is well known that the government is highly sensitive to any criticism of the state.

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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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2023-Annual-Report-FINAL-1.pdf
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Myanmar Internet Project

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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