Indonesia
Indonesia’s tech minister Rudiantara aims to raise $1B for startups
Tech in Asia, 13 February 2015"Indonesia’s tech minister revealed earlier this week that he aims to raise about Rp 12 trillion (US$1 billion) to help develop Indonesia’s digital startups, reports Kompas. Rudiantara, the minister of communications and information technology, claims the funds will be collected from the nation’s large conglomerates. His goal is not just to raise funds for local companies, but also to persuade local conglomerates who invest or save their money in foreign countries to think about investing in Indonesian companies instead."
Indonesia and China agree to combat cyber terrorism
ANTARA, 10 February 2015"Indonesia and China have agreed to cooperate to fight terrorist activities committed through the Internet, as a follow up to the program on eradicating terrorism signed between the two countries in 2014. The agreement was achieved during a meeting between Head of the Indonesian National Counter-terrorism Agency (BNPT) Commissioner General Saud Usman and Chinas Vice Minister of Public Security Meng Hongwei in Beijing."
Millions of Facebook users have no idea they’re using the Internet
Quartz, 9 February 2015"Indonesians surveyed by [Helani] Galpaya told her that they didn’t use the internet. But in focus groups, they would talk enthusiastically about how much time they spent on Facebook. Galpaya, a researcher (and now CEO) with LIRNEasia, a think tank, called Rohan Samarajiva, her boss at the time, to tell him what she had discovered. “It seemed that in their minds, the Internet did not exist; only Facebook,” he concluded.
Indonesians Believe in the Power of Personal Technology, Says Survey
The Wall Street Journal, 9 February 2015"The majority of Internet users in Indonesia say personal technology has improved the way they work and learn, made it easier to start businesses and find cheaper products, according to a recent survey by U.S. technology giant Microsoft. The survey also highlights how increasingly connected Indonesians prefer to get the latest news and updates through social media rather than traditional mediums, such as newspapers and television."
Philippines
PNP anti-cybercrime group tracking uploader of SAF execution video
Interaksyon, 13 February 2015"The Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cyber Crime Group has joined efforts to track down the persons responsible for uploading a six-minute video showing the execution of one of the Special Action Force commandos involved in the disastrous January 25 Mamasapano operation."
Singapore
Study: Most political blogs are balanced
AsiaOne, 14 February 2015"The popular notion that the Internet is an irrational and vitriolic space has been debunked in a new study, which shows that most political blogs tend to be more objective. The study, spearheaded by Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) research fellows Tan Tarn How and Carol Soon, shows that only three in 10 political blogs are completely one-sided in their commentaries. The rest include alternative views for balance, albeit to varying extents."
Parliament: Police have resources focused on tackling rise in cyber crimes
Straits Times, 13 February 2015"While there is no dedicated cybercrime unit here, the police do have specific resources focused on tackling cybercrimes. Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran said this on Friday when asked what the police are doing to prevent a further escalation of e-commerce crimes. "Police are also constantly upgrading their cyber capabilities and they work closely with international partners and experts in order to track down persons who use the Internet to commit crimes," he said."
Facebook and Media Literacy Council join hands to prevent cyber bullying
The Straits Times, 9 February 2015"Facebook and the Media Literacy Council on Monday launched a site for the prevention of cyber bullying. The site, called the Bullying Prevention Centre, provides resources for teens, parents, and teachers in Singapore, was launched here after its success in the United States and Britain. Its launch comes in time for the Safer Internet Day on Tuesday, a global initiative that invites everyone - young people, parents, teachers, educators, industry and safety organizations - to come together to focus on what can be done to 'create a better Internet together'."
New Cyber Security Agency need to work with other countries: Yaacob
The Straits Times, 9 February 2015"An upcoming cyber security agency will not only co-ordinate the nation's defence against internet threats but also work with other countries, said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information. "Beyond a whole-of-nation effort, the coordination of cyber-security functions within Singapore is just one piece of the puzzle," said Dr Yaacob of the new Cyber Security Agency, which will from April oversee the cyber security of 10 critical sectors, including power and transport. It will also take charge of developing the nation's cyber security master plan, taking over from the Infocomm Development Authority."
Thailand
Thai junta to diplomats: lèse majesté is 'cultural offense'
Prachatai, 12 February 2015"A spokesperson for Thailand's military junta explained to a group of foreign dignitaries today that the Kingdom's lese majeste law is needed to protect the "feelings" of the Thai people. Thailand’s lese majeste law, the strictest of its kind in the world, criminalizes criticism of the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison. Since seizing power in a coup d'etat on 22 May 2014, the ruling junta has rigorously enforced the law to crackdown on perceived "anti-monarchists," granting martial courts jurisdiction over lese majeste cases. Human rights groups say the law is abused to silence critics and political enemies."
Thailand agency defends mass cyber surveillance
The Straits Times, 12 February 2015"Defending the agency's controversial mass Internet surveillance aimed at stamping out criticism of Thailand's monarchy, Mr Takorn said in an interview: "We want to clear everything up. The feelings of people towards kings and monarchies are different from one country to another. "In Thailand, we love the King so much that we regard His Majesty as the soul of the nation... We do not criticise the King. This is the tradition, the norm and the culture of Thailand.""
Network queries need for cyber, data security laws
The Nation, 11 February 2015"The Thai Netizen Network has urged the government to withdraw both the Cyber Security Bill and the Personal Data Protection Bill from the Council of State's consideration, because the bills needed to be not just revised but redeveloped. Arthit Suriyawongkul, the network's coordinator, proposed action on the two bills at a forum hosted yesterday by Media Inside Out. "The principles behind these bills are unacceptable and cannot be improved by just revising the details," he said. "There is another draft of [the Personal Data Protection Bill], and we need the government to bring that draft [forward] to be considered.""
Thailand's new (and controversial) cyber laws – Part 1: Introduction
Asian Correspondent, 10 February 2015"The Thai military government has greenlit a large batch of draft laws that aim to pave the way for the digitization of governance and state business. However, they also come with a slew of strengthened cyber surveillance and censorship upgrades for the authorities."
Lese majeste and computer crime charges for ASTV webmaster
Phuket News, 8 February 2015The Military Court has approved an arrest warrant for the webmaster of ASTV Manager for disseminating a forged statement from the Royal Household Bureau about His Majesty the King’s health, police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said on Saturday (February 7).
Government called on to take leading role in dealing with cyber threats
The Nation, 8 February 2015"The government has been urged to lead multiple stakeholders in protecting critical infrastructure against cyber threats. The call was made yesterday by panellists at an open forum on the subject hosted by the Information and Communications Technology Law Centre, a member of the public organisation the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, which is drafting the digital economy bills."
Vietnam
Vietnamese browser Coc Coc ranks second in popularity after Chrome
VietnamNet, 10 February 2015"Coc Coc, the Vietnamese developed browser and search engine, has surpassed Firefox and Internet Explorer to become the second most popular browser, after Chrome, in Vietnam."
As technology entrepreneurs multiply in Vietnam, so do regulations
The New York Times, 8 February 2015"Vietnam is now among Southeast Asia’s most promising markets for high-tech growth, said Dung Nguyen, the director for Vietnam and Thailand at CyberAgent Ventures, a Tokyo-based venture capital firm that has invested in 15 Vietnamese start-ups since 2009. He said e-commerce, music-streaming services and smartphone games were the hot growth areas right now. But some of the country’s Internet entrepreneurs and multinational technology corporations say the new and pending regulations signal that Vietnam’s regulatory approach to the Internet is increasingly out of step with its blossoming technology scene."
Elsewhere in Asia
European business group slams China's Internet controls
Reuters, 12 February 2015"China's Internet curbs are isolating it from the world and having a "highly detrimental" impact on business, a European lobby said on Thursday, in an unusually strong statement by a foreign business chamber."
China’s Internet Censorship Anthem Is Revealed, Then Deleted
The New York Times, 12 February 2015"During the talent show portion of a Lunar New Year celebration held on Tuesday by the Beijing Internet Association and attended by many of the country’s leading media figures and Internet executives, the Cyberspace Administration debuted what can only be described as a semiofficial anthem." (Watch the video by Washington Post's Post TV
No comments:
Post a Comment