Elon’s Twitterverse: Southeast Asia's views on use, free speech and censorship

Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition has been polarizing, sparking reactions from politicians, regulators and non-profits across different continents. Musk’s takeover has sparked several changes in the platform, including a reduction in censorship and misinformation. Some have expressed concerns about potential changes to Twitter’s content moderation policies now that it’s in the hands of the Tesla billionaire, while others celebrated how they expect the platform’s newly minted leader will handle content and speech.

We conducted a regional study to find out what Southeast Asians think about free speech on Twitter and how the platform is managing it. The study was conducted with N=500 respondents each from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and The Philippines via Milieu Insight’s online proprietary platform in February 2023.

Here are some of the key findings: 

Twitter users in Southeast Asia are generally comfortable with the reduction in censorship, with 44% describing Twitter as a platform that supports freedom of speech and 33% considering it a safe space to express opinions.

The study found that 27% across the region use Twitter regularly, with Thailand having the highest percentage of users at 36%, followed by Indonesia (31%) and Malaysia (30%). The primary use for Twitter among Southeast Asian users is to keep up with current affairs (62%) and public figures/influencers (60%), with 41% of users considering it their preferred platform for news and information.

‍

1 in 4 associate Twitter as a platform for healthy debates / conversations

The results of this study also raise the question of whether the goal of free speech on Twitter is to allow individuals to express themselves freely without fear of censorship or is it an end in itself?

Only 25% of people in Southeast Asia associate Twitter as a platform for healthy debates or conversations, and the majority use it passively to consume news rather than actively to share their opinions. While 44% of Twitter users in the region view the platform as supporting freedom of speech, only 3 in 10 emphasized that they use Twitter to express their opinions freely. This suggests that while freedom of speech is valued, it may not be the only factor driving Twitter use in Southeast Asia

However, regardless of the primary motivations for using Twitter in the region, the study underscores the importance of balancing free speech with responsible content moderation. This is crucial to ensure that users have access to accurate information without compromising their safety, which is especially important in the age of online disinformation and the spread of hate speech. 

The study also highlights that 4 in 10 people feel that Twitter's new censorship policy will have a positive impact on the spread of misinformation. While Twitter's role in promoting healthy debates and conversations may be limited in Southeast Asia, the platform remains a significant player in the region's news and information landscape.

‍

‍Methodology: This quantitative study is based on Milieu Insight surveys with N=500 respondents each from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and The Philippines, conducted via Milieu Insight’s online proprietary platform in February 2023.