One of my favourite cartoons shows an elderly, professorial-looking man talking to a much younger fellow, possibly a student. “Those who don’t study history,” says the old guy, “are doomed to repeat it.” He then adds, “Yet those who do study history are doomed to stand by helplessly while everyone else repeats it.” Like many jokes, this one works because it contains a kernel of truth.
Since a military coup earlier this month, Myanmar has endured internet blackouts and blocks on some social media sites, while a draft cybersecurity bill has been floated.These lightning-quick moves by the new junta have tech experts, rights groups and citizens worried that internet-hungry Myanmar will soon be as cut off as during the previous military regime.What Has Happened Since The Coup?The military has so far ordered five temporary internet shutdowns, starting on 1 February - the day of
Vietnam faced criticism Wednesday from the United States (US) and rights groups after jailing three pro-democracy bloggers weeks ahead of the communist government's party congress.The run-up to a leadership transition later this month is a particularly tense period for the state as candidates jostle for power behind closed doors.In recent months, the authoritarian regime has stepped up its crackdown on dissent and has arrested numerous critics.At a quick trial Tuesday in Ho Chi Minh City
Facebook and Google are fast becoming "human rights-free zones" in Vietnam, Amnesty International warned Tuesday, accusing the tech titans of helping censor peaceful dissent and political expression in the country.Communist Vietnam has long jailed its critics but has come under fire in recent years for targeting users on Facebook, a popular forum for activists in the country where all independent media is banned.The social network admitted earlier this year that it was blocking cont
Social media, digital media, collaborative platforms and the like, have become an essential facet and feature in many democratic societies.
Facebook said Tuesday it would file a legal challenge against a Thai government order to take down a group where pro-democracy activists held discussions about the monarchy, a taboo subject in the country.A growing tide of youth-led protests has swept Thailand in recent weeks - buoyed by anger against what many regard as an illegitimate, military-aligned government and an overly powerful royal family.The private Facebook group, called "Royalist Marketplace", was created in April and
ASEAN member states have had an eventful seven days. In recent years, Southeast Asia has enjoyed increasing democratisation along with economic growth.
The shutting down of the Philippines' top broadcaster crosses a dangerous line in eroding the nation's democracy and sends a warning to those who risk angering President Rodrigo Duterte, watchdogs said.Since rising to power in 2016, Duterte has steadily tightened his grip on the nation's key institutions and jailed or side-lined his loudest detractors, but until now his worst threats against critical media had not been fully realised.Tuesday's halting of broadcasting giant
The Philippines' top broadcaster ABS-CBN was forced off air Tuesday over a stalled operating licence renewal, drawing fresh charges that authorities were cracking down on press freedom.Since running afoul of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, ABS-CBN has seen bills to extend its franchise languish in Congress as the leader repeatedly attacked the conglomerate in speeches.Duterte is notorious for tangling with media outlets critical of his policies, sparking concern that press freedoms ha
Amnesty International on Wednesday accused Facebook of "caving" to Vietnam's strict censorship regime, after the United States (US) tech giant confirmed it was blocking content deemed illegal by the country's communist government.Authorities regularly sentence domestic critics to harsh prison terms but have come under fire recently for targeting dissent on the world's most popular social network. Facebook is a popular platform for activists in Vietnam, where
A Myanmar journalist faces up to life in prison for publishing an interview with a rebel group operating in the country's restive Rakhine state a week after the insurgents were classified as a terrorist organisation.The western region has long been a tinderbox of conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA), a group demanding greater autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine people.Clashes have left scores of civilians killed, hundreds injured and about 150,000 displaced
Singapore's interior minister was sued Friday by a Malaysian human rights group in a bid to prevent the city-state from enforcing its law against false information in Malaysia.Home Affairs Minister, K.
