Stories about East Asia
Hong Kong set to implement a China-style health code and contact-tracing app
Hong Kong may adopt a health code system similar to the mainland Chinese three-colour version to curb the latest outbreak of COVID infections, according to the city's new health chief.
Indonesia's Covid tracker app PeduliLindungi: To care for and protect?
As PeduliLindungi and the government continue to fumble in its operations, one needs to ask: Is PeduliLindungi really caring for and protecting the Indonesian public?
China: Possible police database breach exposes at least 1 billion citizens’ personal data
"...the data breach is a fresh new case of a dictator’s dilemma: the more you concentrate, the more you lose control."
The battle of crypto dreams in Myanmar
Myanmar’s crypto revolution is at the beginning of the tug of war between repression and resistance, and will play a critical role in Myanmar’s political revolution.
How Artificial Intelligence could influence Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections
When technologies are adopted in the absence of a solid legal framework and strict safeguards, they pose significant threats to privacy and personal security.
Decolonizing data to tackle digital authoritarianism
Data colonialism is similar to traditional colonialism in terms of its appropriation of human life. States thus use their ownership of data to regulate the behaviors and cultural and religious practices of minorities.
Myanmar journalists face grave risks at every turn
"Many journalists have gone into hiding or fled abroad with no legal or financial support and only pro-military publications can now work openly in the country."
Podcast: The state of press freedom
This week, we head to China, India, Colombia, Indonesia and Serbia to hear from journalists and researchers about what challenges the media faces in those countries.
Does Indonesia have a healthy free press? Not according to West Papua
This World Press Freedom Day, we review the human rights violations, free speech barriers, and media abuses in Papua, which has been annexed by Indonesia for almost 60 years.
For acclaimed journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, winning a Nobel Peace Prize offers no protection
For Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and Russian editor Dmitry Muratov, winning the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize has not provided protection from their attackers and state threats as they continue their investigations.
China: Weibo’s new location tag exposes the whereabouts of users, opinion leaders and tiny pinks
Despite privacy concerns, the location data has unexpectedly exposed the whereabouts of pro-government opinion leaders and patriotic trolls.
Malaysian writer faces blasphemy probe for Facebook post
"Uthaya Sankar SB’s arrest for his social media post highlights the limits of free expression in Malaysia on issues such as religion."
Abuse, arrests, and harassment: How environmental activists fare in Vietnam
"Harassment, intimidation, and imprisonment are just some of the tactics Vietnam uses to silence environmental activists."
Technology: a problem or a solution in Myanmar’s revolution?
Myanmar has faced surveillance and censorship in its digital spaces since it opened the internet to the public in the early 2000s.
Malaysians worry over reported plan to sell contact tracing app to a private firm
"Everyone was so worried about contact tracing when we should have been worried about CONTRACT tracing."
Philippines’s SIM Card Registration Act undermines privacy, online expression
The law puts vulnerable groups “at risk of tracking and targeting, increasing the chances of their private information being misused."
Bringing diversity to Chinese narratives on Ukraine: A Chinese blogger in Odessa
A Chinese businessman based in Odessa in Ukraine has turned into a blogger with his own anti-Russian invasion views, only to be censored and attacked on Chinese social media
Why have attempts to debunk Russian war propaganda on Weibo failed?
China relies on Russian propaganda as the main source of information on the Ukraine crisis. Censorship instruction forbids Sino-Russian antagonism and anti-war declaration. Love triangle analogy has gone viral.
Malaysian artist Fahmi Reza faces police probe and two charges for satirical posters
"Gov leaders must learn to take public criticism and dissent in stride and stop going after critics like #FahmiReza for poking fun at them."
Website of NGO Hong Kong Watch partially blocked amid rising fears of internet censorship
The website of NGO Hong Kong Watch appears to have been partially blocked in Hong Kong amid fears of rising internet censorship in the city.
