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Internet cafe in Vietnam. Photo by Ivan Lian via Flickr (CC BY_NC-ND 2.0)

Vietnamese government officials said on April 26 that Facebook has committed to help local law enforcement prevent and remove from Facebook content that violates the countrys laws against offensive and anti-government messages.

According to a government statement, Facebooks Head of Global Policy Management Monika Bickert and Vietnamese Information and Communication Minister Truong Minh Tuan met in Hanoi and formed an agreement to establish a special channel to coordinate monitoring and removalof content from the platform. The statement also indicated that Facebook had agreed to help removefake accounts and fake content, a designation that could be used to label unflattering news or opinions about government policies or officials.

Facebooks most recent transparency reportsays thatthe company did not restrict any content at the behest of the Vietnamese government between July 2015 and June 2016. If the agreement holds, this will likely change soon.

The agreement could mark a shift in Vietnams rocky relationship with Facebook. The US-based social media platform was wholly blocked in Vietnam between 2009 and 2010, and has been briefly blocked in various moments of heightened political tension ever since. While an improved relationship with the company may help prevent wholesale blocking of the platform, the prospect of government entities having close cooperation with Facebook on issues ranging from messages critical of the government to the ill-defined category of fake content is concerning in a country where free speech and media rights are systematically suppressed.

One recent example of Vietnams intolerance for critical media coverage is the arrest of Nguyen Van Hoa, a journalist, security trainer and contributor to Radio Free Asia who has been in state custody since January for abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the state. Hoa covered stories about environmental disaster in Vietnam, including capturing video of a peaceful protest attended by over 10,000 people last October. Digital and human rights advocacy groups have called on the Vietnamese government to release Hoa immediately.

According to Reporters Without Borders 2017 World Press Freedom Index, released in late April, Vietnam ranks just ahead of China on a global scale and falls below countries including Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Chinese blogger Wu Bin was arrested by Shenzhen national security police for comments he made online. Wu Bin has been a target for police harassment over the past few years, for allegedly picking quarrels online, participating in a public gathering about the death of a Chinese citizen while in police detention, and spreading rumors about protests in Wukan village. It is unclear what triggered his arrest, though it is increasingly common for netizens critical of the government to be summoned or detained by the police under recent stability control measures.

Human rights defender Bondita Acharya received death threats on social media after condemning the arrests of three Bangladeshi refugees in the state of Assam, India for the possession of beef on April 4. Acharya was critical of the arrests, pointing out that while Assams Cattle Preservation Act outlaws the slaughter of cows, the law does not criminalize possessing or consuming beef. Acharya filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department in Assam, but continues to receive posts threatening violence against her.

Russian authorities are considering increased regulations on the Internet in coming years, including requiring ISPs to decode all Internet traffic and store it for at least six months after it is generated. Officials say this would include forced decryption of Internet traffic (though it is unlikely that they can actually do this), blocking access to circumvention tools that allow Russian users to visit to blacklisted websites, and even potentially regulating Internet exchange points with other countries and the .ru and . domain names. Many of these proposals are technologically complex if not untenable, prohibitively expensive and strongly opposed by businesses. But they nevertheless are an indication of possible restrictions to come.

Eighteen NGOs filed legal submissions before Frances Council of State opposing a ruling by Frances data protection authority (the Commission nationale de linformatique et des liberts, or CNIL) that would require right to be forgotten rulings to have worldwide effect. This would affect Internet content that a court orders removed from the network, on grounds that it is either harmful (to its subject) or out of date and not relevant to the public interest. While the policy currently applies only to content online as it is seen in the European Union (and generally recommends that it be geo-blocked), the ruling would necessitate full removal of said content from the global Internet.

According to the letter, The order of the CNIL sets a dangerous precedent, by opening the door for national authorities in other countries to impose global restrictions on freedom of expression through remedies grounded solely in their own domestic law. The possible race to the bottom is of the utmost concern to the interveners.

Telecom industry advocates in Africa are considering a proposal that would deny Internet resources such as domain names and bandwidth to African governments that shut down the Internet. As described by a member of the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), which is considering the proposal, the group would be shutting down the Internet for governments that shut down the Internet. The proposal raises questions about the role of Internet governance organizations in relation to state actors amid a rising trend of politically motivated Internet blackouts. In 2016 alone, there were 18 shutdowns in 11 countries, while the country of Cameroon shut down the Internet for over four months in English-speaking regions.

Days after new US Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said he would start proceedings to repeal the countrys net neutrality rules, a federal appeals court struck back by rejecting a request to review its decision to uphold the rules. The trade group behind the request, USTelecom, could take its appeal to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the FCC will vote on starting the proceedings to get rid of the rules on May 18.

The group Security Without Borders launched FlexiKiller, a tool to identify whether someone has placed the stalkerware FlexiSPY on your computer and remove it from your system. Motherboard reported on FlexiSPY last month, describing the cheap, powerful and widely available software that enables invasive surveillance of consumer devices.

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Netizen Report: Vietnam Says Facebook Will Cooperate With Censorship Requests on Offensive and 'Fake' Content - Advox (press release) (blog)

Tradition dictates that the person seated shotgun is in control of the car's music. But thanks to a new app and Volkswagen's new infotainment system, that's about to change.

Volkswagen models equipped with the two most expensive iterations of Volkswagen's new infotainment system, Discover Navigation or Discover Navigation Pro, can be used with VW's also-new Volkswagen Media Control app. Available for both iOS and Android, it allows users to connect to the infotainment system using its built-in WLAN connection.

In reality, the WLAN signals are not visible. But I sincerely hope you knew that already.

Once a passenger connects with the infotainment system, they can control the music, volume, speaker balance and fade. Not only can backseat passengers flip through radio stations, they can play music off their devices and even make calls using the car's built-in speakers and microphone. App users can also input destinations and set the navigation system.

In essence, it provides nearly full control of the infotainment system to every passenger. If your friends are nice, and have good taste in music, that's great! If your friends are trolls who like to crank the volume at inappropriate times or call up someone's mom "for fun," then perhaps you shouldn't tell them about this app.

Thankfully, the driver can disable the nav system's WLAN connection at any time, preventing young children or the aforementioned terrible friends from hijacking the infotainment controls.

The most notable vehicle to include VW's new infotainment system (in the US, at least) is the refreshed-for-2018 Volkswagen Golf. The mid-range screens are now 8.0 inches, up from 6.5. The range-topping Discover Navigation Pro measures a whopping 9.2 inches.

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The 2018 Volkswagen Golf lineup is one big, happy family

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Volkswagen Media Control app lets the back seat choose the tunes ... - CNET

BANGKOK Thirty media bodies in Thailand marked World Press Freedom day on Wednesday by calling on the military government to scrap legislation that seeks to tighten control of news reporting in the Southeast Asian country.

The call came days after a junta-appointed reform panel approved a bill to regulate the media that has drawn opposition from rights groups who say it is designed to boost state interference and curb independent reporting.

If adopted, the bill could establish a regulatory panel of 15 people, including two state officials and seven media representatives, to oversee all media platforms in Thailand, whether print, broadcast or online.

"The bill is essentially designed to facilitate political interference in the media and restrict press freedom," the Thai media organizations said in a joint statement.

The military government on Wednesday called off an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) focusing on the as yet unsolved disappearance of a revolution plaque commemorating the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 - a subject on which the junta has largely evaded questions.

In a statement, the FCCT said, "(The club) stands by its colleagues in Thailand's domestic media as they struggle to maintain professional standards and editorial independence in particularly challenging times."

Thailand's military government, which took power in a bloodless 2014 coup, has attracted international criticism for curbing free speech and threatening press freedom.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said the government had no intention to silence media with the bill, but regulations were needed to push up the quality of the media.

The media is "an important part of the government's work", Prayuth told reporters at an event to mark World Press Freedom Day. "So I want the press to be balanced while working with the government for the people."

The government will now review the draft bill, before it goes to the National Legislative Assembly, a parliamentary body appointed by the military, for approval and passage into law, he added.

Thailand fell six places this year to rank 142 out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index of the Paris-based group, Reporters Without Borders.

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Additional reporting by Aukkarapon Niyomyat and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Clarence Fernandez)

PARIS Independent centrist French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron extended his lead in the polls over his far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Friday, the final day of a tumultuous election campaign that has turned the country's politics upside down.

CARACAS Supporters of jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez held a vigil outside his prison demanding to see him on Thursday after rumors about his health rattled the protest-hit country where the death toll from anti-government unrest rose to 36.

WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel this month, kicking off his first foreign trip, where he will work to reinvigorate traditional alliances in the region.

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Thai news organizations urge government to scrap media control bill - Reuters

National Legislative Assembly member ACM Chalee Chanruang will handle the media-control bill when it reaches the NLA, and says it will face strong opposition. (Photo via PRD)

The chairman of a National Legislative Assembly (NLA) subcommittee on media reforms has conceded it will not be an easy task to roll out the controversial law regulating the media.

ACM Chalee Chanruang said the bill has still not undergone public hearings.

This process is needed to comply with Section 77 of the new charter.

There is a strong possibility the Protection of Media Rights and Freedom and the Promotion of Ethics and Professional Standards Bill will be amended before going to the NLA, he said.

The bill was endorsed by the National Reform Steering Assembly on Monday amid opposition by members of the media.

It needs to go before the cabinet for consideration and then the NLA.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam said that as the draft legislation is yet to undergo public hearings in line with the new constitution, the government will proceed by gauging opinions from all sides including those of the media.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, on World Press Freedom Day Wednesday, said the media should find a balance when working with the government. The press should support good things done by the government and criticise bad things, although there should be mutual respect, he said.

The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) and 29 other media bodies released a joint statement to mark the day.

The TJA demanded the bill be suspended and regime orders limiting press freedom be revoked.

Speaking at the TJA seminar, Supinya Klangnarong, an ex-member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, said the bill is an attempt to expand state power and limit that of the people.

National human rights commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit said the government should guarantee that the media will not face threats.

NLA member Somchai Sawaengkan said he disagreed with the bill.

Talking to the Bangkok Post, Swedish ambassador to Thailand Staffan Herrstrom said freedom of the press contributes enormously to democracy, transparency and innovation.

"You need that kind of wide space for different views just to encourage people to think outside the box," he said.

Finnish ambassador Satu Suikkari-Kleven said Finnish journalists adhere strictly to ethical guidelines while people are active in monitoring the conduct of the media and discussing social issues openly.

In a separate development, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand received a letter from police at Lumpini station asking it to cancel its discussion on "Memories of 1932: The Mystery of Thailand's Missing Plaque", scheduled to be held at 7pm Wednesday at its office in Bangkok. The FCCT changed the topic to one on world press freedom instead.

Finnish Ambassador Satu Suikkari-Kleven shares experience from Finland where freedom of the press strongly connects with democracy, transparency and innovation. She also said Finnish journalists adhere strictly to ethical guidelines while people are active in monitoring the conduct of the media and discussing social issues openly. (Video byKornchanok Raksaseri)

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Media-control bill 'faces tough legal passage' - Bangkok Post

President Trump on Thursday blasted the media, saying members of the press will do anything to "get attention."

"The Fake News media is officially out of control," the president tweeted.

"They will do or say anything in order to get attention - never been a time like this!"

The Fake News media is officially out of control. They will do or say anything in order to get attention - never been a time like this!

Last weekend, he tore into the "FAKE" media's coverage of his first 100 days in office, accusing news organizations of ignoring the "great optimism" surrounding his administration.

"Mainstream (FAKE) media refuses to state our long list of achievements, including 28 legislative signings, strong borders & great optimism!" Trump tweeted last weekend.

On Thursday, the president also offered praise for the show "Fox & Friends."

Congratulations to @foxandfriends on its unbelievable ratings hike.

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Trump: 'Fake News media is officially out of control' - The Hill