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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) most wanted list for alleged sexual abuse and human trafficking of children257. On December 19, 2023, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) decided to impose a 15-day suspension on two SMNI programs 258 , “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” and “Laban Kasama ang Bayan”. Gikan sa Masa is a political talk show hosted by Rodrigo Duterte and Quiboloy. Duterte allegedly made a death threat in one of the show episodes. Meanwhile “Laban Kasama ang Bayan” was cited for unverified reporting which maligned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Martin Romualdez. The Laban hosts, Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz are controversial pubic figures for on-air red-tagging of activists and organizations. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) later suspended SMNI for 30 days due to three alleged violations of its 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 legislative franchise provided under the Republic Act 11422259. However, the suspension became indefinite in January 2024 after the network failed to comply with the initial NTC suspension order260. Similarly, the MTCRB also extended SMNI’s suspension for 28 more days during the same month261. SMNI’s social media accounts also faced suspensions. The SMNI and KOJC YouTube channels were removed in July 2023 following the platform’s take down of Quiboloy’s channel in the previous month262. TikTok also removed Quiboloy’s account in July. The removal of the accounts by social media platforms were enforced due to the United States sanctions on Quiboloy issued in December 2022 under the U.S. Executive Order (EO) No. 13818 for “his connection to serious human rights abuse”263. In August, Quiboloy’s Facebook page was also removed in line with Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy264. By September 2023, SMNI’s “APOLLO CARREON QUIBOLOY.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, www.fbi.gov/wanted/human-trafficking/ apollo-carreon-quiboloy. Cabrera, Romina. “MTRCB Suspends SMNI Shows of Duterte, Badoy.” Philstar.com, 20 Dec. 2023, www. philstar.com/headlines/2023/12/20/2320180/mtrcb-suspends-smni-shows-duterte-badoy. Cupin, Bea. “Why The NTC Suspended SMNI for 30 Days.” RAPPLER, 21 Dec. 2023, www.rappler.com/ philippines/ntc-suspends-smni-30-days-december-2023. Cariaso, Bella. “NTC Makes 30-day SMNI Suspension Indefinite.” Philstar.com, 23 Jan. 2024, www.philstar. com/headlines/2024/01/23/2327810/ntc-makes-30-day-smni-suspension-indefinite. Mendoza, John Eric. “SMNI Suspended for 28 Days More as MTRCB Junks Its Plea.” INQUIRER.net, 26 Jan. 2024, newsinfo.inquirer.net/1894782/smni-suspended-for-28-days-more-as-mtrcb-junks-its-plea. Gonzales, Gelo. “YouTube Terminates SMNI News, KOJC Channels in ‘Compliance With US Sanctions Laws.’” RAPPLER, 7 July 2023, www.rappler.com/technology/social-media/youtube-terminates-smni-newskojc-channels-compliance-us-sanctions-laws. Ibid. Baizas, Gaby. “Apollo Quiboloy’s Official Facebook Page Deleted, Instagram Account Unavailable.” RAPPLER, 17 Aug. 2023, www.rappler.com/technology/social-media/apollo-quiboloy-official-facebook-page-deletedinstagram-account-unavailable. 72

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Annual Report: Digital Rights in Southeast Asia 2023-2024

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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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