Facebook Online Censorship: The Study on the Possibility of Facebook taking Legal Action against the Thai Government and Affected Users taking Legal Action against Facebook

Abstract

In 2020, Facebook, a social networking provider, has blocked access to political opinion groups due to the Thai government’s request. In this regard, Facebook has planned to take legal action against the Government because such a request violated international human rights law. However, there is a problem with how Facebook can take this legal action. Moreover, it might raise a question of how Facebook users affected by the block can make further claims from the block by Facebook. This article would like to highlight facts in 2020, as well as the possibility that Facebook will take legal action against the Thai government over Facebook’s claims that the Thai government violated international human rights law. Furthermore, there is also another question of whether Facebook users might file a counterclaim against Facebook. Therefore, this article also wants to explain Facebook’s status in Thailand, the possibility of taking legal action against the Thai government through domestic and international legal processes, both in terms of procedural and substantive matters. It also includes the possibility that, if Facebook users wish to take legal action against Facebook in terms of both methods and legal bases within and outside Thailand. The article will also give some interesting examples of Facebook’s domestic and international lawsuits.