A new cybersecurity bill should not be extended to cover election campaigns on social media, according to Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan.
He was speaking out against a proposal by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) in favour of adding a clause to the cybersecurity bill before next year's general election.
NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said earlier that a prevailing set of laws can be used to prevent and crack down on cybercrime, but they may not be enough to deal with election fraud committed on social networking sites.
Wrongdoing online often goes undetected, especially if it is committed in the run-up to or during an election, Mr Pornpetch said.
But Mr Meechai disagreed, saying such a measure could have a negative impact on people's daily lives. He suggested an agency be set up with a hotline to receive tip-offs about fake news being spread on social media so it could be removed instead.
The cybersecurity bill is being scrutinised by the Council of State. It requires approval from this and the cabinet. Mr Pornpetch said the bill was not designed to limit freedom of expression.
