BANGKOK, Sept 25 (Bernama) — Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry on Thursday filed complaints with cybercrime police against Facebook and Twitter for ignoring requests to take down content deemed illegal and materials critical of the monarchy.
Minister of Digital Economy and Society Puttipong Punnakanta said the ministry had sent a warning to the two social media companies to take down content on Aug 27. The companies, however, did not comply with the 15-day deadline of the court-issued takedown orders.
He said Facebook only took down 225 of 661 posts while Twitter only removed five of 69 posts.
He said no action was taken against Alphabet’s Google as it took down the 289 YouTube videos as specified in the order on Wednesday (Sept 23).
“This is the first time we are using Computer Crime Act against major social media companies for not giving full cooperation (to take down content).
“Action will be taken in accordance with Thai law as it happened in Thailand,” he said at a press conference here Thursday.
Under the Computer Crime Act, those found violating it will be fined up to US$6,337 (200,000 baht), then 5,000 baht per day until the order is observed. (US$1 = 31.56 baht)
Puttipong said the ministry would file more such takedown requests to social media companies, asking them to remove items from their platforms, with content ranging from drugs and pornography to criticism of the monarchy.
“The ministry will file more takedown requests to Facebook, Twitter and Google to remove about 3,000 items from their platforms, including 1,748 on Facebook, YouTube (607) and Twitter (261) as well as about 400 from other websites,” he said.
Meanwhile, Puttipong said the ministry also filed separate cybercrime complaints against five individuals, including politicians and protest leaders, for allegedly criticising the monarchy on Facebook and Twitter during a major anti-government protest in Bangkok last weekend.
— BERNAMA