ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship
The Internet is a powerful tool used by many people in
these governments abusing existing ‘loopholes’
the world. It helps us communicate, conduct mundane
in legislation to do so. This is what is referred to
activities, but it equally facilitates our access to
as ‘digital authoritarianism’ or ‘digital dictatorship.’
information, the ability to share opinions, engage in
debate, and be active participants in our societies.
However, the power of the Internet is a double-edged
sword. Just as power can be wielded to improve life
for humans, it can also be abused to do harm and
oppress. There has been a global effort to create
global standards and norms, as well as regional and
country-based legislation that effectively regulate
online space and internet use. Regulating online
space and also technology companies is crucial,
as self-regulation has proved insufficient to manage
the complexities and impacts of their activities on
society. The technology industry must be held to
account, not only in terms of growth and profits, but
also for its impact on society and the environment.
This regulation will help guide administrators and
users on how to shape the Internet to make it safe,
respectful and useful for all.2 Unfortunately, some
states are taking this as an opportunity to implement
new ways to oppressively control their populations,
under the guise of ‘national security’ and ‘improving
the safety’ of the internet and the jurisdiction. This
might come in the form of oppressive governments
creating new legislation that unreasonably and
Digital authoritarianism is exceptionally prevalent
in Southeast Asian countries, where governments
have long failed to safeguard certain human rights
of their citizens. Some human rights that are still
being severely withheld from many Southeast Asian
people include their rights to freedom of speech, to
information, and to privacy. The goal of this report is
to paint a detailed picture of digital repression and
the rise of digital dictatorship in Southeast Asia over
four years, from 2020 until the end of 2023.
The use of vague and expansive laws to criminalise
legitimate online speech have given governments
sweeping monitoring powers over the digital space
and communication. Laws such as lèse-majesté,
sedition, defamation, hate speech, and criminalisation
of fake news are just a few of the offences invoked to
threaten and punish individuals for speaking the truth
or sharing their opinions. Moreover, governments
evidently took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic
and lockdown to implement laws and policies that
regress democracy, violate human rights ,and further
entrench repressive measures.
inhumanely controls the people, or in the form of
2. Conseil de l’Union Européenne, Réglementation des grandes entreprises technologiques: le Conseil marque son accord sur le renforcement
de la concurrence dans l’environnement numérique, (25 November, 2021), available at: https://consilium. europa.eu/fr/press/pressreleases/2021/11/25/regulating-big-tech-council-agrees-on-enhancing-competition-in-the-digital-sphere/.
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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia