Thai ISPs given 7 days to block “illicit” pages
In this article (5)
Thai ISPs have been given just seven days to block “illicit” webpages such as anti-monarchy content deemed illegal by the courts, or face the prospect of having their licenses revoked.
Regulator NBTC has ordered the nation’s ISPs to ensure they are compliant with the nation’s censorship regime, which also covers material such as sedition and promotion of illegal content.
ISPs found to still be in violation after seven days could face penalties including fines, the cancellation of their licenses or even criminal charges for the management.
The NBTC has said it will work with ISPs that claim to have technical reasons for being unable to block illicit content to help solve the problem.
Meanwhile, the regulator and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society are pressing ISPs to extend their content blocking to include illicit video streaming on Facebook and YouTube from local CDNs.
The agencies plan to discuss how local ISPs will be able to block illicit content through online and streaming video on overseas-owned sites.
This initiative was announced on the same day that a Thai man broadcast the murder of his 11-month-old daughter over Facebook Live before killing himself, a tragedy that drew international media attention.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the deadline given to Thai ISPs to block the specified illicit content?
What is the deadline given to Thai ISPs to block the specified illicit content?
Thai ISPs have been given seven days to block illicit webpages. If they fail to comply, they face potential penalties such as fines, license cancellation, or criminal charges for management.
Q.What types of content are ISPs being ordered to block under Thailand's censorship regime?
What types of content are ISPs being ordered to block under Thailand's censorship regime?
The censorship regime covers anti-monarchy content deemed illegal by courts, sedition, and the promotion of illegal content. This also extends to illicit video streaming on platforms like Facebook and YouTube.
Q.What specific actions might ISPs face if they do not comply with the blocking order after the deadline?
What specific actions might ISPs face if they do not comply with the blocking order after the deadline?
ISPs found to be in violation after seven days could face fines, the cancellation of their operating licenses, or criminal charges being brought against their management.
Q.Which government bodies are involved in pressing ISPs to extend their content blocking to streaming video?
Which government bodies are involved in pressing ISPs to extend their content blocking to streaming video?
The regulator NBTC and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society are pressing ISPs. They aim to discuss how local ISPs can block illicit content on online and streaming video from overseas-owned sites.
Reader pulse
What's the immediate commercial impact?
19,497 votes so far