Campaigns against computer crime bill step up

Lawmakers are scheduled to pass the controversial computer crime bill on Thursday amid strong resistance of civic groups who claim it violates several rights.

A National Legislative Assembly panel vetting the bill claimed it had revised some wording but maintained the same principles at its last meeting on Friday, said Pol Maj Gen Pisit Pao-in, a panellist.

The panel clarified Section 14 to prevent people from using the law to slap other people with defamation lawsuits like in the past, leaving prosecution for such offences to only the criminal law, he said.

The provisions aim at protecting key institutions and penalising imports of false information into a computer system or hate speech were also made clearer, he added.

"I assure you the bill will not cause trouble to good people. It will affect only the real offenders," he said.

But civic groups, led by Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), launched an online campaign on its website on Friday urging the NLA to stop the passage of the bill "until people on whom it will be enforced can truly have a say in it".

Their main concern is Section 20(1) which prescribes a "content screening committee" be set up with five members. This committee can ask the court to shut down a website it deems "in conflict with good morality" even though the content does not violate any law.

It also opposes Section 14(2) which adds as a new offence posting of false information which may affect public services, public safety and economic security. iLaw feels the terms are too broadly defined and leave room to apply discretion. Internet users can't be certain how they can express opinions without landing in jail, iLaw said.

The NGO also urged people who agree with them to join hands in posting, sharing and tagging the controversial parts of the bill in social media, as well as sending emails to NLA members, especially the panellists vetting the bill.