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Facebook Plans Legal Action Against Thai Government for 'Chilling Effect' on Free Speech

Facebook recently blocked access within Thailand to a group with over 1 million members that criticized the countrys monarchy, now the social media site plans to take legal action against the governments demands that Facebook block the group.

The group blocked by Facebook was known as the Royalist Marketplace and was created in April by a self-exiled academic and critic of the monarchy namedPavin Chachavalpongpun.

By doing this, Facebook is cooperating with the authoritarian regime to obstruct democracy and cultivating authoritarianism in Thailand.

Requests like this are severe, contravene international human rights law, and have a chilling effect on peoples ability to express themselves, a Facebook spokesperson said.

Unde Thailands Lese Majeste laws, defaming the king is illegal with a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and is often the basis for requests to block or remove content from social media.

Original article
Author: Lucasnolan

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