Cracking the Code

Insight Myanmar

Episode #279: “Having internet or having information is life and death in those areas If you have internet you can at least know if the airplanes are coming, if the battles are becoming intensive in the areas that you live. But without that you don't know anything! You cannot run away from air strike, you cannot run away if the airplane is over your head; there’s very little chance that you survive.”

Bradley delves deeply into the complexities of internet usage and surveillance in Myanmar. He begins by sharing a historical overview, noting the internet’s relatively recent arrival in Myanmar compared to other countries. He discusses the exorbitant costs of SIM cards before the 2012 telecom revolution when mobile internet became widely available, transforming life in the country. This sudden access to the digital world, as Bradley explains, shook Burmese society, creating both opportunities and risks.

The conversation explores the regime's efforts to control and restrict internet access, especially after the 2021 coup, highlighting the frequent use of internet shutdowns as a tool of oppression. As Bradley notes, these shutdowns represent the cyber evolution of the military’s notorious “four-cuts” strategy, where cutting off communication to and from “the enemy” is standard practice. However, the military's definition of “enemy” extends far beyond armed resistance groups to include civilians who are sympathetic to the opposition or hostile to dictatorial rule. The Rakhine State internet shutdown, which became one of the longest in the world, is cited as an example of the junta's strategy to suppress ethnic communities and protests. Bradley points out how these shutdowns, combined with surveillance, create severe isolation for affected communities, exacerbating social, economic, and educational divides.

Bradley also touches on the resilience of the Burmese people, particularly youth activists, who have leveraged technology for resistance. Despite the challenges, these young people—digital natives—have used platforms like Signal for secure communication and coordination. Creative campaigns, such as PDF games and donation initiatives, illustrate how the resistance adapts in innovative ways. However, the regime's growing sophistication in digital repression, with support from foreign powers like Russia, continues to pose significant threats. This ongoing battle between oppression and resistance defines Myanmar's current digital landscape, a struggle that will influence the country’s future.