Myanmar: May 2021

Myanmar’s recent tech news

The May 2021 tech news round-up for Myanmar obviously primarily covers the military coup in its many tech-related impacts, from internet and social media shutdowns to the use of various technologies to bypass military censorship. Worth noting is that both YouTube and Vimeo have removed military-run video channels due to the misinformation being peddled, alongside Facebook having learned valuable lessons from the Rohingya persecution around weaponisation of the platform.

The headlines gathered below outline recent tech news from Myanmar, providing Startup News Asia’s readers with:

• an at-a-glance overview of Myanmar’s recent tech news;
• instant insights into the country’s technology space; and
• 1-click access to the articles behind the headlines.

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• The video pitch from RecyGlo waste management and recycling firm, presented at the recent online Unicorn Battle SE Asia & Oceania event
• Reuters examines the internet and information suppression tactics used by Myanmar’s military

Myanmar tech news in April 2021

• Military junta relaxes internet blocks on selected business-related apps, likely a step towards a censorship model permitting only military-approved channels
• Three Fingers For Democracy, an online project allowing creatives to upload works supporting Myanmar’s fight for human rights, freedom and democracy
• ‘Digital dictatorship’: “Protesters in Myanmar fear they are being tracked with Chinese facial recognition technology…”
• Myanmar’s Unsustainable Social Media Shutdown
• Nikkei Asia’s Spotlight section, focusing on the military coup in Myanmar, and covering some of the technological considerations

Myanmar’s tech news: March 2021

• YouTube removes 5 military-run TV network channels hosted on its platform
• Vimeo video sharing platform reviewing channel created by MRTV, military-controlled television network after bans by Facebook and Youtube
• ICYMI: South Korea to suspend defence and security exchanges, ban export of arms or other strategic items and reconsider development aid to Myanmar due to military coup
• “…an international community of hackers and pro-democracy tech enablers chimed in to oppose the regime’s bloody crackdown on protesters.”
• A look at how TikTok is making the same mistakes around disinformation and fake news that Facebook has already made in the country
• Download: Analysis of the provisions of the draft Cyber Security law (pdf)