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EngageMedia is publishing English translations of the Myanmar Digital Coup Quarterly by the Myanmar Internet Project. Biometric data collection, internet shutdowns, and surveillance were among the digital rights violations documented in the country.

Since the 2021 coup, the people of Myanmar feared the return of a dark monopoly in the telecommunications sector. In recent years, telco operators have been under controversy over ties with the junta, privacy concerns, and rising internet costs.

Activists and human rights defenders in Myanmar are concerned by the possibility of biometric data collection being used in tandem with surveillance technology to further restrict people's rights.

Technology helped the people of Myanmar cope with COVID-19. But the military junta has also taken advantage of the health crisis to strengthen its digital dictatorship through various surveillance practices deployed concurrently with the pandemic.

While Telegram is popular in Myanmar, its weak content moderation policies are posing serious risks to human and digital rights: it has allowed propagandists to dox people, incite violence, and perpetuate online gender-based violence against women.

In this guest post, Visual Rebellion interviews Burmese anthropologist Chu May Paing to understand the motivations and significance of Burmese netizens’ use of social media in spite of the digital safety and security risks.

This episode of PGP Live at DRAPAC23 features Bradley (not his real name), a social technology researcher who has conducted research on the alternative communication methods in Myanmar following the February 2021 coup. 

In this episode recorded live at the DRAPAC23 Assembly, Athan - Freedom of Expression Activist Organization Director Zee Pe shares how the group is pushing back against digital rights violations through research and amplifying communities’ stories.

EngageMedia is publishing English translations of the Myanmar Digital Coup Quarterly by the Myanmar Internet Project. Network shutdowns, data leaks, and social media surveillance were some of the digital rights violations documented in the country.