3/4/22, 1:38 PM g g Managing a digital revolution: cyber security capacity building in Myanmar - Routledge Companion to Global Cyber-Security Strategy ; p g , knowledge, and education. The new and distinct societal challenges and vulnerabilities stemming from digitalization vary from nation to nation and are shaped by the interface between digitalization, local and national policies, and large-scale global forces, elsewhere also described as the “cyber frontier” (Schia, 2018). Cyber security' and digital pitfalls must be understood and contextualized to local circumstances. Even though the digital age is relatively new, there are already several examples showing how this technology can be utilized either for democratization trends or by' authoritarian regimes to suppress public interests, democratic processes, and freedom of speech. Any outcome will depend on an interplay' between the new technology' and pre-existing political and economic circumstances. Digital technology may help authoritarian regimes regain control during democratic transition. Some scholars have found that authoritarian regimes or states wanting to repress an independent public sphere were more likely' to adopt and expand the Internet than were other autocracies (Rod & Weidmann, 2015). Myanmar’s current political transition in tandem with the digital revolution is perhaps the country’s most distinct feature in this context. Certainly, one of the main factors determining the limited ability' to provide digital security in Myanmar is the glaring lack of resources, both human and financial. The lack of qualified personnel with sufficient training and skills in IT security' is obvious, and not just restricted to the public sector but private companies as well. This limitation puts severe strain on all aspects of cyber security' provision, from the development of regulations and policies to the day-to-day' management of digital events. Raising the competencies and resources available will be critical to enhance cy'ber security' and cyber resiliency in the years going forward. One initiative that has already' been taken is The Digital Myanmar Study (2018). This is a selfassessment of the country’s cyber security' capacities that was hosted by the Ministry' of Transport and Communication and facilitated by the World Bank, the Global Cyber Security Capacity' Centre at the University of Oxford (the GCSCC), and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).4 This evaluation identified challenges and produced useful recommendations to the Myanmar t i fi i t l di i b it t t https://ebrary.net/173520/political_science/managing_digital_revolution_cyber_security_capacity_building_myanmar#aftercont d li 'b 6/19