Internet in Myanmar Balancing Freedom and Control

Myanmar's internet landscape is a complex balancing act between freedom and control. The country's internet penetration has been steadily increasing, with over 90% of the population now having access to the internet.

The government has implemented various measures to exert control over the internet, including blocking access to social media and online news sites during times of political unrest. This has led to widespread criticism from human rights groups and the international community.

Despite these restrictions, Myanmar's internet users have found ways to circumvent them, with many using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access blocked content. This has allowed people to stay informed and connect with others, even in times of crisis.

Myanmar has a very low Internet penetration rate due to government restrictions on pricing and deliberate lack of facilities and infrastructure. In June 2012, the country had over 534,930 Internet users, which is just 1.0% of the population.

The vast majority of these users hail from the two largest cities, Yangon and Mandalay, where 42 cities across the country have access to the Internet. This limited access is reflected in the number of users outside of Yangon and Mandalay, which is just over 10,000.

As of 2015, the number of Internet users in Myanmar increased significantly, with 55% of Telenor's 10 million mobile subscribers being data users, bringing the estimated number of Internet users to at least 5.5 million.

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Myanmar has a very low Internet penetration rate due to government restrictions on pricing and deliberate lack of facilities and infrastructure.

In June 2012, Myanmar had over 534,930 Internet users, which is only 1.0% of the population.

The vast majority of users in Myanmar are from the two largest cities, Yangon and Mandalay.

Only around 10,000 people outside of Yangon and Mandalay have access to the Internet.

In 2012, most of Myanmar's 40,000 Internet connections were ADSL circuits.

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The majority of Internet users in Myanmar rely on dial-up, satellite terminal, and WiMax due to the limited availability of ADSL circuits.

By 2015, Telenor Myanmar reported that 55% of its 10 million mobile subscribers were data users.

This increased the estimated number of Internet users in Myanmar to at least 5.5 million.

As of 2017, Myanmar has 13,747,506 internet users, which is a significant increase from the 2012 numbers.

Facebook is also widely used in Myanmar, with over 11,000,000 users as of 2017.

The Internet penetration rate in Myanmar has increased to 25.1% of the population by 2017.

In rural areas of Myanmar, internet access is limited and expensive.

The only available internet technology is ADSL, provided by MPT.

Pricing for ADSL is prohibitively expensive, with a new installation fee of Ks.3,25,000/- (US$240 estimated).

The annual fee is Ks.50,000/- (US$37 estimated), and the monthly fee for the lowest bandwidth of 512 kbit/s is Ks.17,000/- (US$13 estimated).

FTTH Internet is unavailable in rural areas, but some towns outside of Yangon and Mandalay regions offer FTTH service.

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VSAT service providers have made significant strides in Myanmar.

In Myanmar, VSAT services have remained viable due to the country's geography.

SEANET is a leading VSAT service provider in Myanmar, offering complete suites of services and a teleport in Yangon.

Censorship has been a persistent issue in Myanmar, with the government maintaining tight control over the media sector through harsh defamation and other laws. Freedom House lists Myanmar as "not free" for both net freedom and press freedom in 2017.

The government has faced criticism from organizations like Reporters Without Borders, which listed Myanmar as an "Internet enemy" in 2011. OpenNet Initiative also listed Myanmar as selective in the political and Internet tools areas, and as no evidence of filtering in conflict/security in 2012.

The military government officially banned the use of Internet censorship circumvention methods, but many cybercafes assisted their users in circumventing censorship instead. In response, the government increased surprise inspections of cybercafes and required them to install CCTV cameras and assign security staff to monitor users.

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In 2021, the military seized power and sought to block access to independent news and information, resulting in the arrest of at least 176 journalists and four killed. The International Federation of Journalists reports that as many as 50 journalists are still in jail or in police detention.

Here are some key facts about censorship in Myanmar:

Social media penetration in Myanmar is still below 10%, but internet and social media usage is rising rapidly.

Facebook usage is widespread, with over half of the country's population of 54 million people using the platform.

Myanmar's social media landscape is complex, with Facebook being used for both good and bad reasons, including spreading hate speech and inciting violence.

The Rohingya genocide was found to be affected by Facebook, which allowed ultra-nationalist Buddhist groups to incite hatred against the Rohingya or other ethnic minorities.

Facebook's popularity in Myanmar can be attributed to its initial policy of not charging data fees, making it a cultural fit for the country's way of doing things, similar to a digital tea shop where people would gather to discuss news and information.

Blogging has become a significant part of Myanmar's online landscape, with a 25 percent increase in activity from 2009. Blogging is the fastest growing type of Internet activity in Myanmar.

Most Burmese bloggers focus on entertainment, technology, and books, with 14% of blogs dedicated to entertainment, 17% to technology, and 9% to books and literature. The remaining topics, such as news, hobbies, politics, and religion, make up a smaller percentage of blogs.

Interestingly, 52% of Burmese bloggers write from within Burma, while 48% write from abroad. The majority of bloggers, 72%, are men, indicating a significant imbalance in the blogging community.

A breakdown of the demographics of Burmese bloggers reveals that 77% are single, 14% are married, and the remaining 9% are in other relationship statuses. The age range of bloggers is also notable, with 35% falling between 26 to 30 years old and 29% between 21 to 25 years old.

Language is also a key aspect of blogging in Myanmar, with 80% of bloggers writing in Burmese, 8% in English, 10% in both languages, and the remaining 2% using ethnic minority languages such as Kachin, Karen, and Chin.

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Social media is a powerful tool in Myanmar, with Facebook being the most widely used platform. Over 50 million people use Facebook, which is more than half of the country's population.

Despite low social media penetration levels, internet and social media usage are rising quickly. This is partly due to Facebook's initial strategy of allowing its app to be used without incurring data charges, making it a cultural fit in the country.

Facebook has played a significant role in spreading hate speech in Myanmar, particularly during the Rohingya genocide. U.N. human rights experts found that Facebook allowed ultra-nationalist Buddhist groups to incite violence and hatred against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities.

The Myanmar Information Management Unit, in collaboration with UNESCO and the ICT4Peace Foundation, is working to educate information managers about the potential of social media. They are learning about big data and trends, as well as how to effectively leverage social media for crisis information management.

Social media usage in Myanmar has also been influenced by the country's history of censorship. Before Facebook arrived, people would often gather at tea shops to share news and information. Facebook filled this gap, becoming a digital tea shop where people could share information and connect with each other.

Burma has undergone significant reforms since elections in November 2010. The country's first civilian president in half a century, Thein Sein, was elected in March 2011.

Hundreds of political prisoners were released between 2011 and 2012, and legislative changes re-established labour rights. The opposition party National League for Democracy, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi, won seats in by-elections held in April 2012.

Thein Sein described Burma's progress towards democracy in a September 2012 speech to the United Nations General Assembly. He stated that the country had taken "irreversible steps" towards democracy.

Almost all previously blocked websites of opposition political parties and independent news sites became accessible in 2012. Only 5 of 541 tested URLs were categorized as political content still blocked.

Despite these reforms, only 0.3 percent of Burma's population has Web access.

The history of reforms is a long and winding road that's helped shape the world we live in today. It's a story of people fighting for change, pushing boundaries, and striving for a better future.

The first major reform was the abolition of slavery, which was finally achieved in the mid-19th century. This marked a significant turning point in the fight for human rights.

Reforms have been driven by individuals and groups who have dared to challenge the status quo. They've shown us that even the most entrenched systems can be changed with enough determination and effort.

The women's suffrage movement is a great example of this. Women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony fought tirelessly for the right to vote, and their efforts paid off in 1920 when the 19th Amendment was ratified.

Throughout history, reforms have often been met with resistance and backlash. But the momentum of progress has always seemed to win out in the end.

Burma has undergone significant reforms since 2010, marking a shift towards democracy. Elections in November 2010 paved the way for reformist Thein Sein to become the country's first civilian president in half a century in March 2011.

Thein Sein's presidency brought about the release of hundreds of political prisoners between 2011 and 2012. This was part of a broader effort to re-establish labour rights in the country.

In September 2011, Burma significantly reduced its Internet censorship, making international news sites like Voice of America, BBC, and Radio Free Asia accessible to the public.

The head of Burma's press censorship department acknowledged the reduction in censorship, stating that it was "not in harmony with democratic practices" and should be abolished in the near future.

By August 2012, the Burmese Press Scrutiny and Registration Department announced that all pre-publication censorship of the press would be discontinued, except for content deemed harmful to state security.

However, restrictions on content such as pornography, alcohol, and drugs remained in place.

Accessing the internet in Myanmar can be a challenge due to the country's infrastructure limitations.

The country's internet penetration rate is relatively low, with only around 25% of the population having access to the internet as of 2020.

A significant portion of the population relies on mobile networks for internet access, with mobile broadband penetration reaching 90% of the population in 2020.

However, mobile networks in Myanmar often struggle with slow speeds and frequent outages.

Internet censorship is also a major issue in Myanmar, with the government imposing strict controls on online content.

The country's internet infrastructure is largely underdeveloped, with many rural areas lacking access to reliable internet services.

The government's efforts to expand internet access have been hindered by a lack of investment in the country's telecommunications infrastructure.

Despite these challenges, the internet has become an essential tool for many Myanmar citizens, particularly in urban areas where access is more widespread.

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