1. Fake News and Inclusion in Southeast Asia
Dr. James Gomez
Chair, Board of Directors

2. Fake News: Global Trends
Population: 7.593, Internet:4.021, Social Media: 3.199: Mobile Social Media: 2.958(Billion)
Shift in news consumptions from online to social media platforms
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – top platforms
Content creation immediate, decentralized, diverse not subject to regulations or fixed standards
Technical and social filters result in filter bubbles and echo chambers

3. Fake News – Definition (Misinformation/Disinformation)
“Deliberate presentation of false or misleading claims as news, where the claims are misleading by design.” Axel Gelbert (2018)
It has to be false, intentionally designed to be false.
It must be disseminated in a volume equivalent to that of news (i.e. attending wide circulation).
a degree of impact or success in materializing the objective of dissemination and uptake, which serve as a catalyst for further action.

4. What is the Debate around Fake News?
Fake according to who?

5. Election Dates in South East Asia
Countries
Previous elections
elections
Countries with Elections
Cambodia
2013 general election
2018 general election – 29 July 2018
Indonesia
2018 gubernatorial elections –
27 June 2018
2019 presidential elections –
17 April 2019
Malaysia
2013 General Election
2018 General Election –
9 May 2018
Myanmar
2015 general election
2020 general election
Philippines
2016 presidential election
2019 House of Representatives and Senate election –
13 May 2019
Singapore
Late 2019/ 2020
Thailand
2014 general election
Possibly in Feb or May 2019
Countries without Election
Brunei
Absolute Monarchy
Laos
Communist State
Vietnam

6. Internet Penetration and Usage in South East Asia
Countries
Population
Internet penetration
Average daily Internet use (hrs.)
Active Mobile
internet users
Countries with Elections
Cambodia
16,130,000
50% (8,000,000)
N/A
45% (7,200,000)
Indonesia
265,400,000
50% (132,700,000)
8 hours 51 minutes
47% (124,800,000)
Malaysia
31,830,000
79% (25,080,000)
8 hours 27 minutes
76% (24,080,000)
Myanmar
53,610,000
34% (18,000,000)
30% (16,000,000)
Philippines
105,700,000
63% (67,000,000)
9 hours 29 minutes
59% (61,900,000)
Singapore
5,750,000
84% (4,830,000)
7 hours 09 minutes
80% (4,580,000)
Thailand
69,100,000
82% (57,000,000)
9 hours 38 minutes
79% (54,580,000)
Countries without Election
Brunei
431,400
95% (410,000)
81% (350,000)
Laos PDR
6,910,000
35% (2,400,000)
32% (2,200,000)
Vietnam
96,020,000
67% (64,000,000)
6 hours 52 minutes
64% (61,730,000)
Source: Digital in 2018 in Southeast Asia.

7. Social Media Penetration and Usage in South East Asia
Countries
Social media penetration
Average daily social media use (hrs.)
Total number of social media users accessing via mobile
Countries with Elections
Cambodia
43% (7,000,000)
N/A
Indonesia
49% (130,000,000)
3 hours 23 minutes
120,000,000
Malaysia
75% (24,000,000)
3 hours 00 minutes
22,000,000
Myanmar
34% (18,000,000)
Philippines
63% (67,000,000)
3 hours 57 minutes
62,000,000
Singapore
83% (4,800,000)
2 hours 06 minutes
4,300,000
Thailand
74% (51,000,000)
3 hours 10 minutes
46,000,000
Countries without Election
Brunei
95% (410,000)
Laos PDR
35% (2,400,000)
Vietnam
57% (55,000,000)
2 hours 37 minutes
50,000,000
Source: Digital in 2018 in Southeast Asia.

8. Social Media Apps usage in South East Asia
Countries
Facebook
FB messenger
WhatsApp
Twitter
YouTube
Other
Countries with Elections
Cambodia
7,000,000
N/A
Indonesia
53,300,000
31,200,000
52,000,000
35,100,000
55,900,000
LINE:
42,900,000
Instagram:
49,400,000
Laos PDR
2,400,000
Malaysia
16,800,000
11,280,000
16,320,000
7,200,000
16,560,000
WeChat:
9,600,000
11,760,000
Myanmar
18,000,000
Philippines
38,190,000
32,830,000
10,050,000
20,100,000
37,520,000
24,120,000
Singapore
3,360,000
2,016,000
3,504,000
1,200,000
3,408,000
1,152,000
2,112,000
Thailand
38,250,000
28,050,000
8,670,000
19,380,000
36,720,000
34,680,000
25,500,000
Countries without Election
Brunei
410,000
Vietnam
33,550,000
25,850,000
13,200,000
32,450,000
Zalo:
24,750,000
17,600,000
Source: Digital in 2018 in Southeast Asia.

9. Legal Developments in Southeast Asia
Starting June 2017, ASEAN governments have:
established task forces/agencies to monitor online discourses,
convened public/select committee hearings,
and have proposed revisions or new laws.
Two types of proposed legislations (Malaysia: April to August 2018)
Cyber security
Fake News
What is illegal?
that which causes hatred, ill-will, riots and social unrests
that which causes reputational harm to government and its institutions
Penalty: 1-12 years, Fines US$62-US$123,000

10. ASEAN’s Fake News Joint Declaration
14th Conference of the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (10 May 2018)
Joint Media Statement – Section on Combating Fake News
- FN is happening on social media platforms
- there is a need for ASEAN to collaborate and exchange best practices in combatting fake news and mitigating its harmful effects.
Annex 5 of the joint statement: Framework and Joint Declaration to Minimize the Harmful Effect of Fake News
- no central regulation or control on content
- impact on political institutions and social harmony
- share policy experiences related to social media,
- promote media literacy and public awareness and
- adopt laws and regulations for their national situation
- plans to use civil society groups to run digital literacy campaigns and mobilise citizens to proactively report fake news so governments can clarify their positions.

12. Observed Reality
Unlike in the US where Trump is attacking to do reputational damage to the fact-based traditional media, in Southeast Asia government representatives are focused on discrediting critics.
Critics are finding themselves on the backfoot becoming victims of governmental fake news that is then amplified by the compliant traditional media and being vilified online by trolls and anonymous social media accounts
These governments’ main aim to “protect” their reputation and prevent regime change