Rising Online Crackdowns Across Asia Target Citizens, Big Tech

HO CHI MINH CITY/BANGKOK - During Vietnam's 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown last year, blogger Bui Van Thuan took to Facebook to criticize the government's plan to have soldiers deliver food to people trapped in their homes in Ho Chi Minh. City. He was arrested a few days later.

Thuan, 41, a former teacher in northern Hoa Binh, was sentenced last month to eight years and another five years in prison on propaganda charges.

Vietnamese authorities accused Thua of "producing, storing, disseminating or disseminating information, material and products directed against the nation," a charge that is increasingly being applied to online content as the state tightens its control over the Internet, they say. human rights groups. .

"The Vietnamese government has long controlled the country's mainstream media," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Now they are trying to take over the Internet space."

“They have passed various laws for this and are expanding the state apparatus to prosecute people online, make decisions to change and remove content from platforms, use online trolls and control internet access,” he said.

Thuan is the latest target of Internet influence in Vietnam, as authorities arrested dozens of journalists and bloggers, as well as a popular noodle vendor, on similar charges.

Last month, Vietnamese authorities said they were tightening rules on social media platforms to deal with "fake" content, so it must be removed within 24 hours, making the Southeast Asian country one of the most examined in the world by the regulation of social networks. companies. .

However, Vietnam is not alone. Internet censorship is at an all-time high in 2022, with a record number of governments blocking political, social or religious content, according to Freedom House, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.

In the annual report, he said the rise in "digital repression" had dire consequences for basic rights, including freedom of expression, access to information and privacy, "especially for people living under authoritarian regimes."

“In some countries, it is about limiting the voices of political opponents, activists and critics of the government,” said Damar Juniarto, executive director of the Southeast Asia Digital Rights Freedom of Expression Network (SafeNet).

"But governments also want to control big tech companies, they see them as very powerful and influential," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"DRACONIAN" Calendar
More than three-quarters of the world's 4.5 billion Internet users live in countries where authorities penalize online expression, according to Freedom House, which ranks China as the worst environment for Internet freedom.

Elsewhere in Asia, Indonesia introduced rules this year that require illegal or "disturbing public order" content to be removed from social media platforms within four hours if deemed urgent, and within 24 hours of otherwise. Those who do not comply may be subject to fines, criminal liability, or deportation.

His new penal code also tightened controls on "fake news" and online insults against the president.

Vietnam's Information and Communications Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said his new laws were necessary because "fake news risks spreading if tackled slowly." The platforms of companies that do not comply with the indicated term may be banned.

Meanwhile, Singapore last month passed an online safety bill that would require social networking sites to block "harmful content" during certain hours, or authorities could require service providers to block access to such content. content for national users.

In October, India said it would set up a government panel to look into user complaints about decisions by social media platforms to regulate content, raising concerns about censorship .

And in Thailand, a new law that came into effect this month allowed authorities to force online service providers and social media platforms to remove content in less than 24 hours without a court order.

Digital rights groups Access Now and Article 19 said in a statement that the short duration of the cancellation was "mysterious" and "puts unnecessary time pressure on the platforms to respond, encouraging them to err on the side of caution."

Thai authorities have said the new rules are necessary for national security and "public safety" purposes.

Asian market growth
Populous Asian countries are big markets for social media platforms: India has more than 400 million Facebook users and almost half a billion on YouTube. Indonesia has around 176 million Facebook users and around 139 million YouTube users.

According to SafeNet's Juniarto, the crackdown on online content that has been ramped up during the pandemic to curb misinformation is an attempt by Asian governments to rein in big tech companies.

"With elections approaching in several countries, we can expect more restrictions on the Internet.

"These are large and growing markets for platforms, so they will have to think about how to deal with these new regulations and increased government oversight," he said.

Facebook's parent company Meta and Alphabet's YouTube did not respond to requests for comment on the new laws. Company officials previously told Reuters they were concerned about online content compliance and possible government interference.

Thuan's wife, Trin Thi Nong, said Vietnamese officials were "more transparent" about the new rules. She said she was told to limit her social media posts about her husband and that she saw him and his family both online and offline.

"I am very worried," said Ms. Nhung, a honey seller.

Vietnamese authorities said they found more than 100 posts by Thawan on two Facebook accounts, more than two dozen of which were "anti-state."

Ms. Nhung said authorities were unable to prove that the Facebook account cited in the charges belonged to her and said her husband was innocent.

"I am very sad, but I do not regret his actions," the woman said, saying it was difficult leaving Thawne with her seven-year-old daughter.

"I will always support him because I trust him and I'm proud of him." - Thomson Reuters Foundation

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