January

After a rise in incidents of falsified profiles, Indian companies have started to include background checks as a part of the recruitment and screening process.

The check differs across various sectors and organizations in India, but includes verifying educational qualifications and employment records, contacting past employers, obtaining criminal records, and performing identity checks.

Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees an individual's right to live with liberty and dignity, so employers should be sensitive to the data used for background checks, as well as the means to obtaining such data.

In an effort to accommodate recent developments in the electronic information and transactions (EIT) sector in Indonesia, Law No. 19 of 2016 on the Amendment to Law No. 11 of 2008 on Electronic Information and Transactions took effect in November.
 
The Amendment clarifies the definition of an Electronic System Provider (ESP), provides an element of privacy protection, and authorizes the Indonesian Government to terminate access, or order an ESP to terminate access, to electronic information or documents with content that violates applicable laws and regulations. The Amendment also includes definitions of "distributing," "transmitting," and "making accessible" -- three elements that are relevant to prohibitions against the sharing of any electronic information or documents that contain immoral, gambling, humiliation, extortion or threatening content.
 
In addition, the Amendment has reduced the criminal sanctions imposed for several EIT violations, including those documents containing insult, defamation, threats of violence or frightening information.

The Education Ministry has asked the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to track down online sellers of forged educational certificates, but admitted that the illicit business continues endlessly in the country.

According to Chaipreuk Sereerak, permanent secretary for education, received reports that forged degree certificates, ranging in cost from 2,500 and 7,000 baht, were being sold on a Facebook page with a Thai name meaning "cheap certificates for all educational levels".

The page encouraged "sharing" and "liking" for the chance to win a free bachelor's degree.

Those who use such certificates would be liable to a jail term of up to five years and possible fines up to 10,000 baht.