Myanmar’s generals want to take the country offline
Since the coup, Myanmar’s military has repeatedly shut off the internet and cut access to major social media sites, isolating a country that had only in the past few years linked to the outside world.
So far, the military has depended on crude forms of control to restrict the flow of information: During raids on data centers, soldiers ordered technicians at telecom operators to switch off the internet. They cut wires without knowing what they were cutting, according to a witness.
But such a shutdown has drawbacks, like paralyzing a struggling economy and damaging foreign investor confidence. Demonstrators have accused China of exporting the tools of authoritarianism to its smaller neighbor.
Legal tools: A 36-page draft law distributed to service providers after the coup gives the military sweeping powers to block websites and cut off access to users deemed troublesome. It would also give the government access to user data. Huawei and ZTE, two major Chinese companies, built much of Myanmar’s telecommunications network.
The New York Times
