Gadfly Posted September 30, 2009 Report Share Posted September 30, 2009 Ever wonder why Thailand's web censorship program (even if you think censorship is OK) and attitude towards the web in general is so bizarre and convoluted. Maybe this article from today's Bangkok explains why: a few 18-year olds that they were taken to a secret room in an army training camp where, as part of their military training, they had to scour the Internet for sites and comments in English that had to be censored. Obviously English is still too hard a language for normal Thai recruits to effectively work in. So, these are the guys who are making those difficult decisions about what is OK and what needs to be censored? In most countries that do censor the internet, they at least try to employ a bit of maturity in making these sorts of decisions. But not here. The author comments: "But who decides on what is right? Whether this website is destructive or whatever? This leads to the whole idea of a big brother government in control of our lives, another argued." Big government? Because the government can't even begin to understand the internet, in Thailand we have kids barely out of the diapers making censorship decisions the serious and seasoned jurists in the West would never touch with a ten foot pool. This one deserves a TIT, or perhaps, only in Thailand. It does explain a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doxx Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 It's always scary when people without the right competence are given too much responsibility and not held accountable. Makes me think of TSA and Homeland Security in the US -those people are not even fit to work at Mcdonalds yet they run national security... What is the criteria for web censorship in Thailand? What is illegal on the internet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Hi, "What is illegal on the internet?" Probably whatever those in power at the time decide is illegal. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 And here Thai teenagers are helping decide what is illegal. There are about 18,000 banned websites in Thailand. I wonder if any of these kids monitor this site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallenda Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Takes a page out of the Mao / Khmer Rouge playbook. Suppose it could have been worse, like if they got monks to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Is it just me - but I seem to think that 18 year old are often more "liberal" than those of 28/59 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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