Most worrying to media rights advocates is that several countries are promoting new legislation or expanding existing regulations to make publishing fake news an offence. Like everywhere else, Southeast Asia does sometimes have a problem with information on social media that is intentionally false. Anti-fake news legislation, which would impose fines and prison terms of up to 20 years for spreading false information, is under consideration in the Philippines. Asked if the government felt the need to regulate fake news, Mr Roque said: "We believe in free market place of ideas." Still, junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha has warned that tough action will be taken to enforce laws against "fake news and hate speech".

Source: Bangkok Post January 22, 2018 21:45 UTC