ThaiNGO

Background:

DigitalReach is a digital rights organization that looks at impact of technology on human rights in Southeast Asia from a perspective of civil and political rights. Our work covers 8 countries in Southeast Asia which are Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The organization was founded in 2019 and registered as a foundation in 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. The work of the organization revolves around three core areas which are research and monitoring, advocacy, and community building and empowerment. Three main themes that the organization is working on is freedom of expression, the right to privacy, and digital security.

Our core work includes the Annual Report on Digital Rights in Southeast Asia and Social Media Accountability in Southeast Asia which we are also the secretariat of the Southeast Asian Coalition on Tech Accountability (SEACT). In 2022, we have worked with our partner organizations, the Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw) and the Citizen Lab at Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, to discover the use of Pegasus spyware against Thai dissidents and political opposition.

Project Description

The organization is looking for a researcher to assist with DigitalReach’s work on social media accountability in Southeast Asia. This report is to be the first report in the region to address social media accountability given shrinking in platform’s accountability observed in many events. The examples include Telegram’s lack of accountability in Myanmar, Facebook following orders of the Vietnamese government to take down content, and Twitter being rebranded as X with many policy changes. The project is to answer how does it have impact on human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia.

The research will be a mix of desk-research, interviews, and researcher’s observations. Based on the organization’s methodology, the researcher is expected to talk to different stakeholders including human rights defenders, activists, and bloggers across Southeast Asia to identify the challenges that they are facing and what the challenges are in terms of engaging with the platforms. The research is to also identify the challenges that are shared among them in the region.

Expected Outcome

The research will be published as a report that will form as a foundation for DigitalReach’s advocacy work on social media accountability. It is also to kickstart a report on social media accountability that will be done on the annual basis that details development of platform’s accountability, threats, and other related situations.

Scope of Work

• Conduct desk-research to find information that are related to the project and summarize the information
• Interviews with stakeholders
• Report writing

Qualification

• At least a bachelor’s degree in political science, sociology, journalism, law, or other related fields;
• Fluency in English;
• Demonstrate understandings in how social media platforms play a role in democracy and human rights;
• Demonstrate an ability to conduct a research project;
• Have great writing and good interpersonal skills;
• Demonstrate knowledge and interests in politics in Southeast Asia.

Compensation, Duration, and Working Conditions

The work itself is remote, but the research assistant is required to be based in Bangkok, Thailand due to meetings and interviews that will occur throughout the period of consultancy. The duration of the research is 6 months. The compensation is 1,500 USD per month. This short-term consultancy is full-time (40 hours a week). The deadline of application is December 22, 2024. Please fill in the application in this link and submit the following documents;

• Curriculum Vitae/Resume
• Cover Letter that states why you are interested in this consultancy and how you think your skills will match the consultancy.
• 2 Writing Samples