Cultural synthesis is highly evident in the popular culture and digital media of Southeast Asia, including content from the region’s rich tradition of folklore. Although there has certainly been an avalanche of Western popular culture that impacts on locally produced output, some of the strong influences, such as South Korean hallyu, Muslim popular music and the Japanese Boys’ Love video genre, do not have a Western source but come from within the larger sphere of Asia itself. Popular culture has always had links to politics, and this is also the case in Southeast Asian countries. A number of social science researchers note the politicisation of popular culture and digital media in the region, including whether it is towards more authoritarian control, such as in Myanmar, or for a pro-democracy purpose, such as the transnational Milk Tea Alliance. Thus, while digital media may be used to promote hatred, intolerance and cultural/religious/ethnic division, it can also be used to create movements of solidarity that challenge injustice. Research in the region suggests a risk in applying corrective concepts like digital literacy to phenomena like misinformation and fake news because they ignore widespread Southeast Asian traditions of collectivism and consensus, of avoiding disagreement and keeping face.