Since its inception in the first decade of the new millennium, Facebook has developed a vast audience and user base that propagates immense influence. The social media platform has proven to be a catalyst for significant social and political action. Its extensive global reach and its usefulness in communication and the dissemination of information have also made it a tool for government repression. This phenomenon is known as digital authoritarianism. Governments of authoritarian states around the world have widely co-opted the platform to exert control over their populations and gain leverage over adversaries. Especially in countries with poor digital literacy, Facebook is the internet itself. This analysis examines the methods used by the Southeast Asian governments of Malaysia, Vietnam, and Myanmar to utilize Facebook for digital authoritarianism, revealing a range of activities in the region. It also assesses Facebook's responses to co-optation by these governments and the effectiveness of using the platform as a tool for digital authoritarianism.
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