Asia Tech Roundup: X Blocked in Multiple Nations, Cambodia Cracks Down on Cybercrime, and AI Investments Surge
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Indonesia, Malaysia, and India are taking increasingly assertive stances on digital regulation, while tech giants across Asia are making bold moves in artificial intelligence and hardware advancement. This week’s developments highlight a growing tension between platform freedoms and national interests, alongside a continued push for technological innovation.
Access to social network X has been suspended in both Malaysia and Indonesia due to concerns over the proliferation of sexual deepfakes. Malaysia’s Communications Commission issued a statement citing X’s failure to remove offending content, stating access will remain blocked until X implements “safeguards the Commission deems appropriate.”
Indonesia’s minister of communications and digital affairs, Meutya Hafid, echoed these concerns on Sunday, stating that the government views the creation of non-consensual deepfakes as a “serious violation of human rights, dignity and the security of citizens in the digital space.”
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has also reportedly warned X to address the issue of sexual deepfakes. Elon Musk, owner of X, has countered these actions by arguing that the blocks are motivated by a desire to suppress free speech. These actions come as Indonesia, India, and malaysia have a history of blocking online services deemed to host inappropriate content. X, with its massive user base in these nations, can ill afford to alienate these key governments.
Cambodia Targets Cybercrime Networks
Cambodia’s government announced last week the arrest of three Chinese nationals and their extradition to China as part of a crackdown on “transnational crime.” Authorities in both the US and China allege that one of the arrested individuals, Chen Zhi, is a key figure in operating forced-labor cyber-scam camps within Cambodia.
These camps reportedly lure workers with promises of high-paying jobs,onyl to force them into conducting scams that have generated billions of dollars and caused significant financial and emotional harm to victims. While previous efforts by US and Chinese authorities to dismantle these camps have been hampered by a lack of cooperation from Cambodia,these recent arrests signal a potential shift in the country’s approach.
Baidu Spins Off Chipmaking Arm
Chinese tech giant Baidu is planning to spin off its chipmaking business unit, Kunlunxin, and pursue a public listing. The move aims to attract investment specifically focused on the AI chip sector and enhance Kunlunxin’s market profile. Baidu has already designed its own AI acceleration silicon for internal use, powering services like its Ernie large language model and Apollo self-driving car platform. The spin-off is intended to unlock the value of Baidu’s AI-powered businesses.
Vietnam Tightens Regulations on Video Ads
Vietnam has introduced a new law requiring publishers to allow users to close video advertisements within five seconds. Government Decree No.342/2025/ND-CP, effective February 15th, also mandates monitoring for illegal or anonymous ads and their subsequent removal. Non-compliance could result in blocked access to publishers. The measures are primarily aimed at combating scam ads and the promotion of illicit products.
South Korean web giant Naver has completed construction of a massive AI computing cluster powered by 4,000 Nvidia B200 GPUs. The company claims this new cluster will dramatically accelerate AI model development,reducing the time required to train a 72-billion-parameter model from 18 months to approximately six weeks. Naver anticipates its cluster will rank among the world’s top 500 supercomputers.
Panasonic Reimagines Itself: The “Noodle Shop” Model
Panasonic Group CEO Yuki Kusumi envisions a “rebirth” for the technology and engineering giant by 2026, drawing inspiration from the humble noodle shop. Kusumi emphasized the need to “sharpen every aspect of our operations, including leveraging data and AI,” and to adopt a customer-centric approach reminiscent of a noodle shop owner who constantly seeks feedback and strives for advancement. This ideology, rooted in the principles of founder Kōnosuke Matsushita, underscores Panasonic’s commitment to continuous reform and delivering results.
