ISAS Special Reports

The digital media landscape has undergone significant changes over the last decade. While Facebook remains one of the most widely used social media platforms globally, messaging platforms like WhatsApp not only have a huge number of users in countries like India and Indonesia, but have also become a dominant news-sharing avenues. Though the global digital divide still exists, the smartphone has been crucial to the rapid evolution of digital politics in South and Southeast Asia. Internet penetration in South Asia now stands at roughly 42 per cent, compared to 63 per cent in Southeast Asia. The Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore organised a roundtable titled ‘Digital Politics: Emerging Trends in South and Southeast Asia’ on 5 December 2018. The event brought together researchers, policymakers and representatives of digital media companies