Part 1/11:
The Hidden Crisis of Digital Manipulation and Social Media Abuse in Malaysia and the Philippines
In the wake of Malaysia's historic electoral shift on May 28th, where the long-standing Barisan Nasional regime was overtaken by a coalition led by Pakatan Harapan, a shadowy digital battlefield came into focus. Weeks prior to the election, researchers and journalists around the world began noticing troubling signs of online manipulation and organized harassment campaigns targeting political opponents. These efforts reveal a broader and more concerning trend: the pervasive use of bots and fake accounts to sway public opinion, spread misinformation, and intimidate dissenting voices.