The existing and emerging suite of online content regulation in the Asia-Pacific have limited civil society’s capacity to hold governments accountable. Individuals and organisations that engage in online advocacy are increasingly persecuted and prosecuted, resulting in a range of self-inhibiting behaviours. This has overall weakened their effectiveness in calling for accountability of government policies. This weakness has to be addressed. the principal recommendation is that key stakeholders, including international organisations, governments, ISPs and technology companies, and civil society actors, should recognise that criticism of government policies and officials is a legitimate activity and a vital form of expression for civil society. Hence, any measures, whether legal or non-legal, that interfere with or criminalise this legitimate activity should be rescinded or disallowed. Instead, measures should be put in place to ensure that civil society is empowered to call out the blind spots in government policies.
To implement this key recommendation, collaborative efforts are needed to ensure that civil society’s ability to call out the blind spots of public policy is upheld. Online content regulations should not undermine civil society’s capacity to hold governments accountable.
