Digital Rights Lab
Director
Country
Category
Digital Rights Issue
Synopsis
Thailand has been grappling with a surge in cybercrime, which has led to substantial financial losses for thousands of victims. The success of these cybercriminals hinged on their access to people’s personal data, prompting the director to be deeply curious and worried about their tactics and how they could also cause her harm.
In her quest to uncover the truth, filmmaker Min personally initiated a series of daring social experiments, beginning by acquiring a new phone number and waiting to receive calls and messages from unknown contacts. Tracing her encounters with potential scam calls, she discovers the intricate web of cybercriminal operations behind the facade of online platforms. She then attempts to purchase data from websites that openly trade in personal information, further unmasking the illusion of data security.
The social experiment illuminated how weak personal data protections can cause damage to a person’s life. To raise awareness about these dangers, the director interviewed digital law expert Saliltorn Thongmeensuk, Ph.D. for insights on how various sectors can protect their personal data and digital rights.
Learn more about the film's digital rights issue in
'Unveiling the Underworld: Call Centre Gangs and the Market for Personal Data.'
About the Director
Weeraya “Min” Vichayaprasertkul is a co-founder and video producer for EcoCupid, a platform to promote hidden environmental projects from Southeast Asia through multilingual media content. She is a freelance producer, creative, and TV host. Since she started her career five years ago, she has won global awards for her documentary work focusing on environmental, educational, and social movements. She was a documentary film mentor for Earth Journalism Network grantees at Internews.
