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ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship 85. MalaysiaKini, Cops received 5 reports on death threats against Nik Elin - Saifuddin, (16 February 2024), available at: https://www.malaysiakini.com/ news/696400. See also, Malaysian Centre for Constitutionalism & Human Rights (MCCHR), Nik Elin Zurina and Tengku Yasmin’s Case & Secularism, (5 March 2024), available at: https://www.loyarburok. com/2024/03/05/nik-elin-zurina-and-tengku-yasmins-case-secularism/; MalaysiaKini, Nik Elin’s fearless challenge on Kelantan’s syariah laws, (8 February 2024), available at: https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/695653 86. Malay Mail, Nik Elin: Federal Court’s ruling in Kelantan Shariah criminal provisions a testament to Federal Constitution’s supremacy, (9 February 2024), available at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/ malaysia/2024/02/09/nik-elin-federal-courts-ruling-in-kelantan-shariah-criminal-provisions-a-testament-to-federal-constitutions-supremacy/117204 87. Tiktok, Sophian Mohd Zain, (n.d.), available at: https://www.tiktok.com/@sophianmohdzain9?lang=en; Sinar Harian, Rohingya makin besar kepala, (4 March 2023), available at: https:// www.sinarharian.com.my/article/248041/edisi/selangor-kl/rohingya-makin-besar-kepala 88. Twitter Transparency Report, Removal requests, (n.d.), available at: https://transparency.twitter.com/ en/reports/countries/my.html 89. Free Malaysia Today, Edisi Siasat’s Twitter account suspended, (21 February 2022), available at: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2022/02/21/edisi-siasats-twitter-account-suspended/ 90. Free Malaysia Today, Tall order for authorities to stop Edisi Siasat, says expert, (17 February 2022), available at: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/ category/nation/2022/02/17/tall-order-for-authorities-to-stop-edisi-siasat-says-expert/ 91. Facebook Transparency Report, Content restrictions, (n.d.), available at: https://transparency. fb.com/data/content-restrictions/country/MY/?from=https%3A%2F%2Ftransparency.facebook. com%2Fcontent-restrictions%2Fcountry%2FMY 92. ARTICLE 19, Malaysia: Halt legal action against Meta over content moderation, (23 June 2023), available at: https://www.article19.org/resources/ malaysia-halt-legal-action-against-meta/; Channel News Asia, Malaysia to take legal action against Meta for failing to remove ‘undesirable content’ from Facebook, (14 June 2023), available at: https:// www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-communications-legal-action-facebook-meta-undesirable-content-cybersecurity-3582416 Malaysia 93. Techwire Asia, Social media giants respond to Malaysia’s rising content restrictions, (19 December 2023), available at : https://techwireasia. com/12/2023/meta-and-tiktok-confront-social-media-content-control-in-malaysia/ 94. Google Transparency Report, Government requests to remove content, (n.d.), available at: https://transparencyreport.google.com/government-removals/ government-requests/MY?hl=en&lu=removal_compliance_rate&country_request_amount=period:2021H2&removal_compliance_rate=period:2021H2 95. TikTok Reports, Government Removal Requests Report, (n.d.), available at: https://www.tiktok. com/transparency/en/government-removal-requests-2023-1/ 96. Techwire Asia, Social media giants respond to Malaysia’s rising content restrictions, (19 December 2023), available at : https://techwireasia. com/12/2023/meta-and-tiktok-confront-social-media-content-control-in-malaysia/ 97. Surfshark, Report on Government Request for User Data, (n.d.), available at: https://surfshark.com/user-data-surveillance-report 98. The Emergency (Essential Powers 2.0) Ordinance 2021, available at: http://www.federalgazette.agc. gov.my/ 99. Freedom House, Freedom on the Net 2021 – Malaysia, (n.d.)), available at: https://freedomhouse.org/ country/malaysia/freedom-net/2021 100. Reuters, Malaysia will not extend state of emergency, says law minister, (26 July 2021), available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/ malaysia-will-not-extend-state-emergency-bernama-2021-07-26/https://www.reuters.com/world/ asia-pacific/malaysia-will-not-extend-state-emergency-bernama-2021-07-26/ 101. Al Jazeera, Malaysia cites COVID-19 misinformation with new ‘fake news’ law, (12 March 2021), available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/ news/2021/3/12/malaysia-cites-covid-19-misinformation-with-new-fake-news-law 102. The Edge Markets, Dewan Negara approves motion to revoke Emergency Ordinances, (8 December 2021), available at: https://www.theedgemarkets. com/article/dewan-negara-approves-motion-revoke-emergency-ordinances 103. Amnesty International, Malaysia 2021, (n.d.), available at: https://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/ malaysia/ 177

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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024

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Language

English

Topic

Digital Rights
Digital Surveillance
Information Operation
Internet Restrictions

Author(s)

MANUSHYA

Date Published: Mar 8, 2024

Abstract: Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024 Whether we like it or not, we are living through a pivotal moment for the future of human rights. This includes the issue of our digital rights, and the question of our online freedoms. In places like Southeast Asia, where the majority of its peoples are experiencing immense threats to their online and offline freedoms, at the hands of opportunistic governments and corporations, this is especially prevalent. The digital space has become an integral part of human life, and is still growing in its influence over our world. Accordingly, if our freedoms in the digital space are endangered, our freedoms overall are endangered as well.

It is understandable to feel powerless while possessing this knowledge. But it is not enough to just know about the forces acting against our human rights, and understand that they are dangerous. If we truly want to create a safer, more equitable, more liberated world - which we all know, deep down, is possible - we must understand these forces, and act accordingly. We must equip ourselves with knowledge about what governments, corporations, and other powers that be are doing, alongside demanding our rights to freedom. The powers that be have weaponised the online and digital space, as well as the law, against the people that these things are supposed to serve and protect. It is our right to protect ourselves with research, knowledge, advocacy, and the power of the people. When we understand the powers we are up against, fighting back will become less daunting.

This is what our report, titled Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia, is for. Join us in powering ourselves with knowledge, in order to compel ourselves to action!

As always, our work is rooted in decolonial, feminist, intersectional values, with historically marginalised people at the centre. Thus, this work was a collaboration between a coalition of groups oriented in these values: ALTSEAN-Burma, Cambodian Center for Human Rights, ELSAM, Free Expression Myanmar, Foundation for Media Alternatives, ILGA Asia, Manushya Foundation, The Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network, SAFEnet, Viet Tan, and Women’s Peace Network. What is the ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship? The ASEAN Regional Coalition to #StopDigitalDictatorship was established in 2020, by human rights and digital rights activists from Southeast Asia, on a mission to decolonize digital rights and restore our online democracies.

Together, we stand in solidarity with one another, with people from the Global Majority, resisting and pushing back against authoritarian governments and complicit tech companies.

We tell our realities from the ground, and we develop solutions together.

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Manushya Report 2024 - FULL REPORT - Book File-compressed.pdf
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Myanmar Internet Project

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Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia March 2024

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