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Concerns over digital authoritarianism and increasing restrictions to internet freedom were the main points of discussion among civil society organisations and rights advocates who joined the Bangkok solidarity event last January 14, 2023, the third day of the Asia-Pacific Digital Rights Forum.
EngageMedia hosted the event in partnership with the Asia Centre. Participants included representatives from organisations such as iLaw, Manushya Foundation, Human Rights Lawyers Association, Internews, East-West Management Institute – Open Development Initiative, RECOFTC, Asian Institute of Technology, Yokosuka Council on Asia Pacific Studies, and Virtue Research.
The Bangkok solidarity event was one of five parallel, in-person events, with the others held in Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Manila. EngageMedia invites changemakers to continue the discussions over at Forum.EngageMedia.org/Discuss.
Democracy, digital authoritarianism, and the elections
The solidarity event featured a discussion on the state of internet freedom in Thailand and Southeast Asia, as well as a film screening of selected Tech Tales films on digital rights violations in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Indonesia.
In the morning session, Dr. James Gomez, Dr. Marc Piñol Rovira, Korbkusol Neelapaichit of Asia Centre, and Saittawut (Matt) Yutthaworakoolare gave a rundown on Internet Freedoms in Southeast Asia and Thailand, followed by a roundtable discussion.
Participants shared their reflections on the country’s growing turn towards digital authoritarianism. Attendees were concerned over the increasing use of legal and non-legal measures to restrict free speech on the pretext of upholding national security. But these laws, such as the controversial Computer Crime Act, lack clarity and are used by authorities to suppress critical voices. This issue is even more timely with the Thailand general elections coming up later this year. Participants said that government officials are already ramping up pressure on opposition voices. While elections should be an exercise of democracy, there are fears that restrictive tools and disinformation on social media will create disharmony among the electorate.
During the event, Data and Society founder danah boyd shared her thoughts on agnotology or the study of ignorance, pointing out a form of ignorance that comes from loss of information or knowledge, or when information is strategically polluted to make it difficult to make sense of what is real or not. In Thailand’s case, political forces and legal systems are shaping the use of technology to assert power and control speech and knowledge.
Recognising these threats, participants stressed the need for intersectoral collaboration to address these issues ahead of the elections. “The discussions delved into the importance of transparency and accountability of the government by preventing the spread of disinformation and repressive tools”, said Prapasiri “Nan” Suttisome, EngageMedia Digital Rights Project Officer for Thailand.
Suttisome added that spaces like the Bangkok solidarity event were critical for Thai changemakers. “The Asia-Pacific Digital Rights Forum solidarity event held in Bangkok provided an important forum for discussions about the pressing issue of digital authoritarianism and the need to strengthen the digital rights movement”, she said.
