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New update by @patpichatan on Facebook & Thailand, hours after the firm said it would legally challenge the gvt. She speaks to @PavinKyoto, who is ready to keep up the fight for freedom of expression, as his group passes 1/2 million users. Thread 1/x https://reut.rs/2Ywx5sx
@patpichatan was the first to break the story yesterday that Facebook would block a group critical of the Thai government run by exiled academic @PavinKyoto, who said this was "Facebook cooperating with the authoritarian regime to obstruct democracy" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-facebook/facebook-blocks-group-of-one-million-critical-of-thai-monarchy-amid-government-pressure-idUSKBN25K25C
Hours after @patpichatan 's original story (at 3:30 am BKK time), Facebook announced it would legally challenge the Thai government after being “compelled” to block access to the group. It has given few specifics on how this will happen.
This comes as the police is cracking down on activists as thousands have taken to the streets nearly daily for the last month to stage protests calling for monarchy reforms and democracy https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-protests/police-arrest-thai-activist-over-rally-calling-for-reform-of-monarchy-idUSKBN25L120
Social media has played an important role in how activists mobilize both in Thailand to call for democracy & across Asia through the iconic #milktealliance as covered again tirelessly by @patpichatan https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asia-protests-idUSKCN25E102
Facebook has showed itself as ready to come out publicly in authoritarian markets when it feels pressured, as seen in April in this important @pearswick story: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-vietnam-facebook-exclusive/exclusive-facebook-agreed-to-censor-posts-after-vietnam-slowed-traffic-sources-idUSKCN2232JX
But not so much when it comes to its biggest markets, such as India. The move in Thailand comes days after this exclusive by @newley continuing to roil Indian politics https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-hate-speech-india-politics-muslim-hindu-modi-zuckerberg-11597423346
Thailand’s digital minister vowed no relent on social media content deemed illegal and said it was unlikely Facebook would follow through on plans to challenge the govt in court. @patpichatan remains on the case: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-facebook/thai-minister-says-clampdown-wont-stop-as-facebook-plans-to-fight-order-idUSKBN25M0VN
"This time FB complied in blocking everything we flagged, which is why I don’t think FB will pursue legal action,” Thailand's digital minister said, noting he will keep banning new groups (current iteration is growing massively). Unclear how this is going to be a winning strategy
But FB does seem to be complying? https://twitter.com/zenjournalist/status/1298581273947103233
