CYBER EXPERTS say they believe the police are using secret investigative methods to find lese majeste messages in social media instead of tapping the system itself.

The recent case of two administrators of a Facebook page being hit with a lese majeste charge has raised a lot of concerns about privacy among social-media users, with many wondering whether their personal messages are visible to the authorities.

Pol Maj-General Pisit Pao-in, president of the Social Media Reform Subcommittee of the National Reform Steering Assembly and former commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, told The Nation that the authorities could not legally access Facebook users’ messages without their explicit permission. Hence, he said, once suspects are arrested, their devices are seized and, in a way, they allow the authorities to check their Facebook account, thus making it possible legally, he said.

He explained that it was not possible for officials to tap private messages in Facebook as the social-media platform does not allow it. Facebook uses an encrypted URL (https), which is very secure and cannot be tapped.

However, the recent arrests have raised concerns that the government is infringing on the right to privacy.

Pisit explained that his main duty was to integrate government agencies and create a framework for regulating social-media usage in Thailand without violating people’s privacy.

Paiboon Amonpinyokeat, a cyber-law specialist, explained that there were three possibly legal ways to get access to private messages. One is getting a court order asking Facebook to release that information. Another is getting a court order to have the Internet service provider (ISP) or mobile-phone operators “sniff out” the username and password of suspects. The third way is using a secret passageway by being disguised as friends, fans or followers of Facebook users.

“The method being used is most possibly the third one. It is illegal to get private information from sniffing around without a court order. Service providers such as Facebook, ISPs and mobile operators will not cooperate with this,” Paiboon said.

Users should set a high level of security in their Facebook accounts to ensure their privacy, he said.

Facebook has always said it takes users’ information very seriously, and even if it receives an official request, it will first have to establish the legitimacy of the request and apply strict legal requirements.

According to Facebook’s privacy basics, users can opt for secure browsing in order to protect their information. This way, the user’s activities, such as posting their status or sending a message is encrypted, or turned into code, so others cannot access it without permission.

The Nation did not receive any comments on the case when it contacted Facebook Thailand through its local public relations agency.

Colonel Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order, said he did not have exact information on how the case was investigated, adding that the information being circulated among the media came from the suspects.

“I’m not sure who or what is concerned with this [personal Facebook messages being seen by the authorities]. However, criminal behaviour is usually visible on social media,” he said.

He added that the monitoring of social-media usage was much like the Department of Transport monitoring the state of traffic. The inspection is generally based on visible social-media usage of people on their timeline or page.

“I am not able to study the police case files, so I don’t know how the cases have been investigated and suspects arrested,” Winthai said.

Meanwhile, an information-technology expert who chose to remain anonymous reiterated that it was not possible for Facebook Messenger to be tapped.