There are rising cases of foreign information manipulation in Southeast Asia. This was one of the key findings uncovered by Pieter Pandie, our researcher, during his work. He presented these findings at the session titled “Addressing Information Manipulation in Southeast Asia” on December 15, 2024, during Day 0 of the Internet Governance Forum 2024 in Riyadh.

The session aimed to bring together diverse voices from Southeast Asia to collaboratively tackle digital threats such as foreign information manipulation and interference while amplifying the region’s potential for innovation.

In addition to Pieter, the panel featured insights from other distinguished speakers. Fitriani, a senior analyst from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, shared lessons learned from Australia’s experience in addressing information manipulation. “The three main ways are: 1) legislative efforts, 2) public and joint attribution, and 3) fact-checking and awareness campaigns,” she explained.

Joining online from the Philippines, Maria Elize Mendoza (Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines Diliman) offered a deep dive into her country’s information landscape and how the government addresses the challenges of disinformation and foreign information manipulation. “In the Philippines, disinformation and influence operations are mostly domestically created and spread by social media influencers, bloggers, celebrities, digital workers, independent practitioners, or even ordinary Filipinos who make a living by creating and spreading disinformation,” she noted.

The discussion was further enriched by Bich Tran (Postdoctoral Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore), who brought valuable insights into Vietnam’s information landscape and its experience with foreign interference. She highlighted Vietnam’s concerns, particularly regarding China’s disinformation campaigns about the South China Sea disputes and what the Vietnamese government refers to as “peaceful evolution” from the West. “The Vietnamese government is mostly concerned about China’s disinformation regarding the South China Sea disputes, as well as what they call ‘peaceful evolution’ from the West,” she explained.

The session sparked engaging discussions, with attendees raising questions about specific cases of disinformation, how digital platforms should address these issues, and the need for a platform to facilitate further dialogue on the topic.

As the session concluded, moderator Beltsazar Krisetya reminded participants of the broader implications of disinformation. He emphasized that disinformation cannot be isolated solely as an information issue. Collaboration across sectors is essential, and the discussion must extend beyond the room and beyond the Southeast Asia region.

Did you miss the session? Rewatch it here: https://sail.ink/rewatchFIMI