There seems to be little good news and plenty of pressing digital rights issues at stake in Southeast Asia. In recent years, the region has witnessed an increasing escalation in digital repression. Governments across the region are not only tightening their grip on the internet, but are also using increasingly sophisticated methods to control the digital environment. From internet shutdowns and the criminalisation of online expression to pervasive digital surveillance and state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, the challenges facing Southeast Asia’s digital landscape are both complex and urgent.
Despite critical challenges, particularly for at-risk communities, human rights defenders and civil society voices from Southeast Asia remain underrepresented in global digital rights conversations.
With support from the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Thai Netizen Network (TNN) had the opportunity to participate in the Global Gathering 2024 in Portugal, organised by Team CommUNITY. Last year, we attended the first Global Gathering, and this year, we were able to see its remarkable growth, with the event doubling in size to nearly 1,000 participants in 2024. The convening has evolved into an even more vibrant space where diverse digital rights communities can connect, network and foster meaningful collaborations. Over three days in Estoril, Portugal, we engaged in circles with a range of activities, including sessions, workshops, project showcases, networking opportunities, and regional meetups aimed at exchanging ideas and building collaborations under the main themes of the gathering: 1) security, threats and risks, 2) ecosystem well-being, 3) circumvention technologies, and 4) digital rights 2050.
By contributing local and regional perspectives, we shared insights and sparked conversations about digital rights experiences from Thailand and the broader situation in Southeast Asia. This blog post shares our learnings, thoughts and reflections, particularly on digital transnational repression in Southeast Asia, inspired by our experiences at the Global Gathering 2024.
Asia's struggles and resistance
During the convening, we made the most of this opportunity by engaging in a range of discussions and circles focused on digital rights and digital security challenges, including network building with digital rights advocates, civic tech practitioners and developers. One of the highlights was our participation in the “Asia Regional Meetup” and the session about “Building the Asia Digital Rights Community”, which explored pressing issues in the region and provided a platform to share our struggles and solutions.
Our conversations explored the evolving digital security landscape, emphasising the importance of strengthening local capacity and fostering regional collaboration. A holistic security approach was one of the key topics in our discussion, including reflections on digital security training, incident response and network building. However, we recognise the need to build our strategy from a collective perspective to ensure that all dimensions are interconnected and that no single aspect is considered more important than the others.
Together, we discussed practical strategies for sharing resources and creating sustainable protection support networks among participants, aiming to create more resilient digital rights communities across Asia. We emphasised the importance of focusing on communities at risk – both frontline human rights defenders and marginalised groups – that require diverse resources to address their unique challenges. Funding challenges, particularly the funding models, were frequently mentioned in our discussions. Grassroots networks often struggle to access resources and build sustainable work due to these financial hurdles.
Struggles beyond borders: The silencing effects of digital transnational repression
One of my most meaningful takeaways from the Global Gathering came from the insightful discussion during a session on “Digital Transnational Repression Against Women Human Rights Defenders in Exile”. The conversation highlighted how authoritarian states’ efforts to suppress dissent are no longer confined by territorial borders, with an emphasis on the gender-based and psychological implications.
Transnational repression is not a new phenomenon, but the use of digital technology has made it easier for authoritarian regimes to target and silence dissidents living abroad. This emerging pattern of control, known as “digital transnational repression” (DTR), allows authorities to carry out monitoring and surveillance of diaspora activists more effectively than ever before. The practices of digital transnational repression are not just a tool of surveillance; it’s a weapon that undermines the safety and privacy of those fighting for justice, particularly women human rights defenders.
The discussion started by sharing key findings from Citizen Lab’s research report “Psychological and Emotional War: Digital Transnational Repression in Canada” on the digital threats faced by women human rights defenders in diaspora communities and the silencing effects of gender-based digital transnational repression. According to the research, digital transnational repression is facilated by several unique features: it is low-risk and easily scalable, hard to detect, highly adaptable, causes a widespread chilling effect, and lacks accountability for state actors and other perpetrators.
Repressive governments employ invasive surveillance to extend their reach across borders, targeting activists in exile and diaspora communities. Our conversation continued to explore numerous cases from different contexts, including Iran, Azerbaijan and the East African diaspora. Exiled women dissidents, in particular, face unique challenges at the intersection of gender, politics and state-backed digital repression. They are often targeted not only because of their activism but also due to their gender and status as exiles.
Authoritarian governments don’t just rely on surveillance tactics – they also use online harassment, disinformation and smear campaigns to intimidate and silence dissidents living abroad. These digital threats are often linked to traditional repressive methods of cross-border coercion, setting the stage for or escalating further threats. While social media allows diaspora activists to circulate alternative information and opinion, it can also become a toxic environment for abuse and threats. We also discussed the practices of social media companies and the gaps that may enable digital transnational repression.
One of the main concerns raised during our discussion was the lack of accountability from platforms. There was widespread frustration over the absence of care, due diligence and effective responses from these platforms in protecting people at risk. Challenges such as limited understanding of local contexts, language barriers and ineffective takedown reporting mechanisms on social media platforms were also highlighted. This gap in platform accountability has made it increasingly difficult for exile communities to seek timely protection and support.
For people living in a constant climate of fear, the combination of digital threats with other methods of transnational repression amplifies their impact, leading to far-reaching consequences such as reinforced self-censorship, social isolation and anxiety. These tactics not only violate personal safety and freedom but also build mistrust within diaspora communities.
Despite the growing phenomenon of digital transnational repression and its potentially severe consequences for the personal lives and activism of those targeted, its implications and security dimensions remain underexplored, particularly its impact on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of targets and their families.
At the end of the session, we focused on recommendations and practical steps to address digital transnational repression. One key solution is to connect and build a community of individuals targeted by DTR, creating a safe space to share resources, provide collective support and strengthen resilience. Building trust is essential for laying the foundation of such an exile community. Additionally, there is an urgent need to enhance mental health and psychosocial support, particularly for women human rights defenders in exile. These steps are critical for empowering those affected and fostering solidarity in the face of transnational repression.
Digital transnational repression in Southeast Asia
The conversations about digital repression and resistance did not end with the convening at the Global Gathering. Instead, some of the issues and cases from different contexts sparked me to take a closer look at a situation closer to home – Thailand and the broader Southeast Asia region. While the term "digital transnational repression" is still relatively new to the civil society community in the region, the reality on the ground clearly illustrates what is happening beyond borders.
Although often overlooked on a global level, Southeast Asia has, in many ways, been at the forefront of transnational repression. The region, dominated almost entirely by authoritarian governments, has become a critical hotspot for transnational repression, including its digital aspects. As the authoritarian governments in Southeast Asia have grown closer, they have intensified these activities across borders.
The post-coup repression in Myanmar and threats targeting Myanmar’s exiled communities are particularly alarming due to the severity of the situation. Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, an ongoing political crisis has unfolded, marked by widespread human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by the military junta against the people. Consequently, thousands of human rights defenders have been forced to flee their home country to escape persecution and threats to their safety. The Myanmar military regime appears to have extended its reach across borders, employing tactics such as online threats and digital harassment, leaving these people feeling unsafe even while residing outside of Myanmar.
Due to its geographical proximity to Myanmar, with a shared border stretching over 2,000 kilometres, Thailand has become a key destination for Myanmar exile communities. However, exiles face numerous struggles and challenges that threaten their safety and life.
One of the most common forms of transnational repression experienced by the Myanmar diaspora is digital repression. Surveillance and (attempted) attacks serve both as psychological threats and as components of broader tactics aimed at causing further harm. Digital threats and online harassment, including doxxing, trolling and incitement to violence, occur frequently on platforms such as Telegram channels and Facebook. In some cases, there are many Telegram groups or channels that expose people’s personal information, political activity and location, leading to the arrest of activists. The challenges faced by Myanmar exiles are exacerbated by the absence of adequate support including mental health and psychosocial support.
When struggles and repression extend beyond borders, our resistance and resilience must also extend across countries, building strong networks and fostering regional collaborations to push back against digital transnational repression. Without a collective effort and a strategic pushback, authoritarian governments will continue tightening their grip on digital spaces – just as they are doing now!
Darika Bamrungchok attended the Global Gathering 2024 on behalf of APC member organisation Thai Netizen Network with the support of the APC Member Engagement and Travel Fund.
Image: Portion of the cover illustration of the Citizen Lab report "Psychological and Emotional War: Digital Transnational Repression in Canada", used under a Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 licence (https://citizenlab.ca/2022/03/psychological-emotional-war-digital-transnational-repression-canada).