Thailand Welcomes Twitter Censorship Tool

[webfact]

Thailand welcomes Twitter censorship tool

File photo, source: wikimedia

BANGKOK, January 30, 2012 (AFP) - Thailand, which regularly cracks down on Internet content deemed critical of its revered monarchy, on Monday welcomed social media giant Twitter's controversial new censorship policy.

The San Francisco-based networking website announced last week that it can now block tweets on a country-by-country basis if legally required, enraging many users, but Thailand said it supported the move.

"It's a good idea that Twitter has this policy to take care and prevent its users from violating the law, because freedom of expression must not violate other people's rights or the laws in each country," Thai Information and Communication Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap told AFP.

"The ICT ministry will continue to ensure no person or group uses social networks to violate the law. I agree with Twitter's new policy but we will not be involved with Twitter's censorship."

The Thai government has removed tens of thousands of web pages in recent years because they were considered insulting to the royal family, an extremely sensitive subject in the politically-divided country.

A boom in online discussion on social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter is fuelling political debate and challenging Thailand's long-standing taboo against openly discussing the royal family.

In November Thailand asked Facebook to delete more than 10,000 pages of content containing images or text deemed offensive to the monarchy.

Anyone convicted in Thailand of insulting the king, queen, heir or regent can been jailed for up to 15 years for each offence, and rights groups have expressed concern about a series of convictions under the tough rules.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-01-30

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Follow Thaivisa on Twitter: http://twitter.com/georgebkk

[Oberkommando]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

[kotsak]

I don't have a Twatter account so I didn't test it but here it is anyways..

http://thenextweb.com/twitter/2012/01/27/worried-about-possible-restrictions-on-twitter-heres-how-to-get-around-them/

[alant]

if you live here abide by the rules is my view. if however you are a resident of say Vietnam, should twitter or facebook block your post?

[jshorts]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

[fred110]

Related topic - I was looking at reviews of digital cameras and got routed to the ICT Ministry website, then it just stopped. No sex, no nudes, don't know why it happened but I guess they are censoring so much here...

[cheeryble]

if you live here abide by the rules is my view.

Under your system the United States would still be ruled by Great Britain.

Ahh yes, maybe you're right.

[tragickingdom]

Of course they do. Every dictatorship does. The competition too, it means that there is room for a new kind of Twitter who does have decent standards. The Royalists must be laughing all the way to the bank. After all Facebook is rightfully giving ICT the middle finger.

[whybother]

Of course they do. Every dictatorship does. The competition too, it means that there is room for a new kind of Twitter who does have decent standards. The Royalists must be laughing all the way to the bank. After all Facebook is rightfully giving ICT the middle finger.

"royalists", does that include the PTP?

[Oberkommando]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

I would prefer that governments don't dictate what I can or cannot look at on the internet.

[alexakap]

"Twitter" - what is this?

And why should I care about their/his/her/its "censorship tools"? Someone please gimme a clue...

[a99az]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

I don't think what's published in the US, UK, or French press / web site, would or could be held against the author if it is true. I think it's very important that we have the freedom to express our personal opinions, without fear of the consequences.

[jshorts]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

I would prefer that governments don't dictate what I can or cannot look at on the internet.

I would prefer that governments don't dictate what I can or cannot look at on the internet, too.

However, inasmuch as there are governments which dictate what its citizens can and cannot look at on the internet, I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

[jshorts]

"Twitter" - what is this?

And why should I care about their/his/her/its "censorship tools"? Someone please gimme a clue...

Kindly do an internet search for the answer to your question.

[jshorts]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

I don't think what's published in the US, UK, or French press / web site, would or could be held against the author if it is true. I think it's very important that we have the freedom to express our personal opinions, without fear of the consequences.

Of course, what you say is true in the US, UK or in France.

However, in Thailand that is not the case.

[RichinThailand]

if you live here abide by the rules is my view.

Under your system the United States would still be ruled by Great Britain.

Ahh yes, maybe you're right.

And maybe they could do a bang up job of it...like they are for the home country!! FO

[webfact]

Thai government welcomes Twitter censorship announcement

2012-01-30 15:47:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

BANGKOK (BNO NEWS) -- The Thai government on Monday welcomed an announcement from the social networking website Twitter that it will start censoring controversial content on a country-specific level, local media reported.

Jeerawan Boonperm, the permanent secretary at the Information and Communication Technology Ministry in Thailand, said last week's announcement is a "welcome development." She said the Ministry will contact Twitter to discuss how they might be able to collaborate, according to the Bangkok Post.

Twitter received a storm of criticism last week when it announced that it will block tweets and user profiles in some countries if they are found to violate local laws. The new policy allows Twitter to block, for example, pro-Nazi content in France and Germany where this is illegal.

Previously, Twitter was not able to block content on a local level and was instead forced to remove the content globally. "Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country - while keeping it available in the rest of the world," the U.S.-based company said in a blog post last week. It said it would communicate to users when and for what reason content is withheld.

Jeerawan said the Thai government already receives "good cooperation" from companies such as Google and Facebook and that it would work with Twitter, where its users post some 250 million messages a day, to ensure tweets disseminated in Thailand are in compliance with local laws.

The Thai government has blocked thousands of websites in recent years, mainly for violating lese-majesty or pornography laws.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-01-30

[RichinThailand]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

A sad day for the internet. It is international...so why should each country step in and make their own rules. Let's get some ISP on space platforms, and then no country would have contorl.

[RogueLeader]

Twitter should have told the Thai government: "We're not making any changes. You're obviously free to pull the plug if you want." That would have started a popularity contest between the government and Twitter (and, by extension, all the social networking sites including Facebook). They know exactly who would win such a contest so they mewl and cower and beg Twitter to do their dirty work for them.

, I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

The Thai government suing an American corporation in US courts for doing something that's constitutionally protected under US law? No chance. I suppose it's possible that they could have been indicted under Thai law and prevented from entering Thailand under threat of arrest. Perhaps someone high up at Twitter is really into kathoey?

Edited January 30, 2012 by RogueLeader

[siampolee]

I was under the impression that this particular administration was 100% in favour of democracy.

Now can anyone explain the comment.in the quote below ?

Jeerawan Boonperm, the permanent secretary at the Information and Communication Technology Ministry in Thailand, said last week's announcement is a "welcome development." She said the Ministry will contact Twitter to discuss how they might be able to collaborate,

This does indeed seem a very odd sort of format for a . ''democratic'' administration.

[wprime]

Why are you all complaining, it only blocks what people shouldn't be writing anyway.

[RogueLeader]

violating...pornography laws.

Hahaha. You can buy it on most city streets, but you can't give away pictures or videos of it

[RogueLeader]

Why are you all complaining, it only blocks what people shouldn't be writing anyway.

"Things that people shouldn't be writing"

There are no laws in my country telling me what I should and shouldn't be saying.

Edited January 30, 2012 by RogueLeader

[pimay11]

Why are you all complaining, it only blocks what people shouldn't be writing anyway.

This is only the first step of controlling the sheep. Their foot is in the door. What is next no derogatory remarks about the PM? THis is a very bad development for freedom.

[Escapologist]

Twitter is gambling here. Nothing is to stop more robust competitors from emerging and dipping into Twitter's market share. The joy shared by certain ruling elites, who inflict incessant propaganda on to their dumbed-down nations, might be premature.

[TechnikaIII]

A sad day for Twitter allowing governments to dictate to them what is acceptable on their website.

I wonder if you would prefer that governments sue Twitter each time one of its users breaks the law.

I don't think what's published in the US, UK, or French press / web site, would or could be held against the author if it is true. I think it's very important that we have the freedom to express our personal opinions, without fear of the consequences.

Of course, what you say is true in the US, UK or in France.

However, in Thailand that is not the case.

In the Kingdom of Thailand, you are here as a guest, and so you behave with respect for the King or go, .. or if you insult the Royal family, or promote ideas which undermine the dignity of the Royal family, or mouth off with opinions which are an affront to His Majesty's values, you deserve everything you get. This is not the USA, neither is it the UK, nor Australia, nor anywhere else. Take note: It is the Kingdom of Thailand.

[Oberkommando]

In the Kingdom of Thailand, you are here as a guest

*yawn*

[anterian]

I don't use Twitter, and have no desire to so do, I am a reluctant user of Facebook to satisfy my family, but I use a false name and false IP address, I assume one can do the the same with Twitter. If not the boys will soon come up with a "workaround",

[whybother]

In the Kingdom of Thailand, you are here as a guest, and so you behave with respect for the King or go, .. or if you insult the Royal family, or promote ideas which undermine the dignity of the Royal family, or mouth off with opinions which are an affront to His Majesty's values, you deserve everything you get. This is not the USA, neither is it the UK, nor Australia, nor anywhere else. Take note: It is the Kingdom of Thailand.

What about the citizens that are not here as guests? Or don't they count?

Edited January 30, 2012 by whybother

[spidermike007]

Any citizen of any country is subject to Thailands laws, if they do something deemed offensive while in their home country, are put on a watch list, then visit Thailand. You can be arrested, tried, and jailed here. Be very careful of what you say. For those of us that go back and forth it is best to give the monarchy the affection and respect they deserve. After all, the King is the world's greatest Monarch of the past century, by far.