Technology has become the double-edged sword of Asia's protests - BBC News

The same tools that are empowering dissent are also hobbling protests.

15 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsHong Kong anti-government protestsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, In Hong Kong, protesters used encrypted chat apps to organise flashmob-style protestsBy Tessa WongAsia Digital ReporterIt began with a simple call - come and mourn the dead.

On 27 November, many in China were reeling from the news of a deadly apartment fire. After nearly three years of strict zero-Covid lockdowns, the incident struck a deep, angry chord.

Across Chinese social media and messaging apps, calls to hold candlelight vigils began spreading spontaneously. Thousands responded. Holding up blank sheets of paper, chanting slogans denouncing their leaders, they transformed the vigils into mass demonstrations.

China's White Paper protests were far from an anomaly in the region. From Sri Lanka to Thailand, Asia has in recent years seen a rash of protests that erupted seemingly out of nowhere: some ebbed as they lost traction, and others were silenced in swift crackdowns. In Myanmar, pockets of resistance continue despite a descent into civil war.

This is no coincidence. Scholars point to a larger, worldwide phenomenon: as mass protests become increasingly common, they're also more likely to fail.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-64300442?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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