Crackdown on ‘likes’ will only backfire

Over the past few weeks there have been reports of how people are going to be prosecuted for their “likes” on Facebook posts regarding issues deemed sensitive and possibly in breach of Section 112.

Some of the issues for which people have been arrested have raised eyebrows around the world.

But this is Thailand and anything and everything can be interpreted as per the wishes of the powers-that-be.

The latest attempt at muffling “dissenting” voices comes with the use of the Computer Crime Act to try to suppress the ongoing saga of the Rajabhakti Park corruption scandal which has become the weak spot that critics aim for when in the mood to attack the military government.

Deputy police chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul gave the public warning this week: Liking or sharing social media material deemed illegal is a crime.

Two people have already been arrested, one on charges of sedition and the other on lese majeste charges.

The prosecutors, in their efforts to control social media, show how out of touch state authorities are with the social realities of the world.

If memory serves me right, the regime also tried to shut down Facebook when it seized power in May 2014 but it was halted by an immediate uproar in society.

Another effort to assert control over social media was the “single gateway”, which was quickly aborted after the public rose up in arms against the move.

The latest move to punish people for clicking “Like” or sharing materials deemed illegal or sensitive by the government has introduced even more fear among Thai Facebook users.

Many of the people I have spoken to have started to refrain from commenting or hitting “Like” on Facebook posts. But what I do not understand is how one determines whether the pressing of the “Like” button on Facebook is intentional or unintentional.

I, for one, am one of those users who scroll nonchalantly through Facebook pages on mobile devices. And anyone who does the same knows how easy it is to press the “Like” button by mistake.

Just last week, I was browsing through some pages and without even realising, I had pressed the “Share” button.

Four days later, as I was going through my own Facebook profile, I found out that my friend’s photo had been shared on my Facebook page.

Many of us may have people among our Facebook friends whose way of thinking lean towards another side of the political spectrum. Now, does the military government want us to block, unfriend or remove all of these people’s posts from appearing in our newsfeeds?

I do not know what they want. But what worries me is whether I will be prosecuted in the event I accidentally press the wrong button.

I can guess the answer to that, but is it fair to undertake such strict measures?

Even countries that have autocraticstyle democracies or one-party rule such as Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia in this part of the world do not go as far in silencing their critics.

Using the “speech limit of 112” as a tool is no way to silence the criticism that is being heaped upon the government due to its own doing.

I have heard Gen Prayut Pran-o-cha recommending that the public watch CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) especially after the Ratchaprasong blast in August when he said if people wanted to see the investigation completed fast, they should watch CSI where all of the probes are finished within one episode.

If I may take the liberty to make a recommendation to our dear prime minister, I would ask him to watch Spiderman, which tells us “with great power comes great responsibility”.

With the kind of power in his hands, Gen Prayut needs to ensure it is used wisely and cautiously, not allowing his men to go overboard arresting people just for clicking “Like” on Facebook, which is certainly no crime.

Social media is the way of the world. It is not only futile to strangle it, but any effort to control the uncontrollable world of social media is likely to backfire in a big way.

Umesh Pandey is editor of Asia Focus, Bangkok Post.

I scroll nonchalantly through Facebook pages on mobile devices. And anyone who does the same knows how easy it is to press the ‘Like’ button by mistake.