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TikTok which targeted young individuals that comprise a significant proportion of voters in the 2024 elections. 4. Threats Against Critics and Political Opposition The other two presidential candidates, which are Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, also used (AI) technology in their campaigns. Ganjar, a former Central Java Governor used an interactive AI chatbot to engage with potential voters. He also used AI photos made by his supporters in his campaigns127. Former Jakarta Govenor, Anies Baswedan, used a similar OpenAI-powered chatbot on WhatsApp to answer questions about his policies128. Judicial harassment is among the threats faced by critics and political opponents. Among the repressive laws that are related to digital rights, the ITE law has regularly been used to criminalize individuals since it came into force in 2008. Since the controversial provisions remain despite the 2023 revisions, the law can continue to be used as a political weapon. Based on the record from Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network, there were 984 cases from 2016 to 2023 that are related to free speech129. Apart from these, “deepfake” videos, which used AI images and voices of candidates and other public figures, propagated false and misleading messaging. The deepfake audio that Anies Baswedan was being scolded by his backer, NasDem Party’s Chairperson Surya Paloh for example, aimed to discredit him as a presidential candidate. This indicates that the technology may play a larger role in the future, will make information disorder more challenging to tackle, and pose harm to the country’s democracy. 127 128 129 130 A landmark case in 2023 is that against Fatia Malulidiyanti and Haris Azhar, two human rights defenders charged for a 2021 talk show episode on YouTube. The duo allegedly defamed Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs, by discussing a report that said military operations in Papua aimed to help Luhut’s mining businesses130. Another example is a case of Rocky Gerung, a political commentator and academic, who was charged under the ITE law for the alleged Chen, Heather. “AI ‘Resurrects’ Long Dead Dictator in Murky New Era of Deepfake Electioneering.” CNN, 11 Feb. 2024, edition.cnn.com/2024/02/12/asia/suharto-deepfake-ai-scam-indonesia-election-hnk-intl/index. html. Ibid. “The ITE Law Is Legalizing the Authoritarian Regime.” TEMPO.CO, 19 Jan. 2024, en.tempo.co/read/1823109/ the-ite-law-is-legalizing-the-authoritarian-regime. “Two Activists Facing Jail Sentences for Alleged Defamation of Minister Luhut .” Jakarta Globe, jakartaglobe. id/news/two-activists-facing-jail-sentences-for-alleged-defamation-of-minister-luhut. 42

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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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