Freedom advocates question 'Line' surveillance plan
Bangkok-based Thai Netizen Network, which advocates freedom on the Internet, issued a statement on Tuesday urging the Yingluck Shinawatra administration to explain its plan to monitor the Line chat application.
"The authorities must clarify their surveillance plan on social networks and ‘Line’ chat application," the statement said, adding that the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) which has said it plans to monitor netizens’ conversations, should recognise that the Computer Crimes Act does not allow any kind of sniffing.
"The TCSD should clarify whether they will sniff around, ask for chat logs or users’ personal data. Although the Thai Constitution guarantees citizens the right to privacy with exceptions made for national security, this exception can be abused. Thai Netizen urges Thai authorities to exercise utmost caution when carrying out their activities," it says.
The group also condemned the daily announcements made by the police and ministers related to the ICT Ministry, which are having a chilling effect on Thai Internet users. It demands that the authorities stop abusing the Computer Crimes law, which has become a clich
