The Asia Pacific is the most dynamic digital landscape in the world, home to the fastest adopters of new technologies and the largest concentration of mobile and social media users. An escalation in online activism, changing cyber dynamics, developments in digital diplomacy and the exploitation of big data are shaping the region's engagement with the world.
- Downloads of off-grid mobile chat app FireChat (which now has an encrypted texting feature) spiked during Malaysia's anti-government Bersih 4.0 rally after organisers promoted use of the app and set up chat rooms.
- China's anti-graft campaign has expanded its use of anti-corruption crowdsourcing, and it has the Mid-Autumn Festival & excessive gift-giving in its sights.
- Mumbai developers have come up with a way to incentivise garbage collection – the WiFi Trash Bin – and it's coming to a festival near you.
- Baidu may have failed in Vietnam but it plans to boost investment in India and Indonesia.
- Twitter's Indonesia strategy (and new office in Jakarta) is taking shape.
- An analysis from ANU shows that on its proposal to change the country's flag, the Fijian Government wants to use social media to win support. However, it doesn't want it to be used to express opposition to Government policy.
- How to brilliantly undermine the US Government's stern line on cyber attacks? By giving top US tech executives an offer they can't refuse – an invitation to an exclusive 'technology forum' and a likely audience with President Xi.
- Is Google ready to return to China?
- Following a series of controversial arrests related to Facebook posts, Cambodia's Interior Ministry has revealed plans to establish a new 'anti-cybercrime' department.
- Patriotism and mockery dominated Chinese social media during the country's military parade commemorating the end of World War II.
- Chinese websites were allowed to cover the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region but were allegedly given a directive to 'tidy up negative and harmful information' and to close the comments section on major stories.
- Singapore, whose press freedom ranks alongside the likes of Libya, Belarus and Iraq, has enjoyed a surprisingly vibrant debate – thanks largely to social media – ahead of the city-state's general election being held today:
