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Similarly in 2020, Tempo’s website was attacked by hardcore Jokowi supporters, including social media celebrities for reports criticizing the president. The attacks spawned the hashtag #TempoAsu, with “asu” meaning “dog” in Javanese and is considered a profanity138. The human rights NGO, LBH Pers Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute for the Press) also reported their Instagram account was hacked in 2022. The hacking was believed to have stemmed from their posting of a video of police violence in Wadas Village139. Another form of cyber threat that has been reported in the past recent years is the use of spyware. In 2022, more than a dozen senior Indonesia government and military officials claimed that they were targeted since 2021 with spyware produced by an Israeli surveillance technology firm140. In 2023, IndonesiaLeaks, a consortium of media outlets and investigative reporters, released a report on the use of spyware--believed to be Pegasus--by the State Intelligence Agency 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 and police against politicians and activists. According to the report, those who were targeted include defense minister and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and Airlangga Hartarto141, chairman of the Golkar Party and the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs. Reuters reported in 2022 that Indonesia was among the countries that was approached by now defunct Israeli spyware company QuaDream to buy spyware similar to Pegasus, which is produced by another Israeli firm, NSO Group142. Although it was never confirmed whether Indonesia purchased such software 143 , there are indications that the government’s surveillance capability was aided by these tools. In 2023, Jokowi claimed to have access to intelligence reports providing details of internal information about Indonesian political parties144. The claim was viewed by many as an abuse of power by the president. Couper, Elena, and Heru Andriyanto. “How Tempo Outrages Jokowi Supporters.” Jakarta Globe, 17 Jan. 2021, jakartaglobe.id/news/how-tempo-outrages-jokowi-supporters. “LBH Yogyakarta Says Instagram Account Hacked After Posting Wadas Video.” TEMPO.CO, 9 Feb. 2022, en.tempo.co/read/1558934/lbh-yogyakarta-says-instagram-account-hacked-after-posting-wadas-video. Potkin, Fanny, et al. “Exclusive: Senior Indonesian Officials Targeted by Spyware Last Year.” Reuters, 1 Oct. 2022, reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-senior-indonesian-officials-targeted-byspyware-last-year-sources-2022-09-30. Idrus, Pizaro Gozali. “Whistle-blower: Indonesia May Have Used Israeli Malware to Spy on Political Opponents.” Benar News, 12 June 2023, www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/israeli-spyware-used-bystate-agencies-06122023115033.html. Bing, Christopher, and Raphael Satter. “EXCLUSIVE: iPhone Flaw Exploited by Second Israeli Spy Firmsources.” Reuters, 4 Feb. 2022, www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-iphone-flaw-exploited-by-second-israeli-spy-firm-sources-2022-02-03. Ibid. Yuniar, Resty Woro. “Indonesia Election 2024: Jokowi Accused of ‘Abuse of Power’ After He Claims to Spy on Political Parties.” South China Morning Post, 19 Sept. 2023, www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3235089/indonesia-election-2024-jokowi-accused-abuse-power-after-he-claims-spy-political-parties. 44

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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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