This 90% gap in accessibility between compliant and
independent media is a stark example of how
infrastructure is used to reward subservience and
punish editorial independence. It forces
independent newsrooms into an impossible choice
between adopting the military-vetted narrative or
facing digital extinction.
The military’s 90%
access gap is a digital
bribe: it rewards selfcensorship with visibility
while punishing
journalism with digital
extinction
For the public, this disparity creates a false sense of
normal. Some people without the technical expertise
or financial resources to circumvent censorship may
assume that independent outlets have simply ceased
to exist, while the accessible, military-compliant websites appear to represent the
totality of the national conversation. This manipulation of perception is as damaging
to the right to information as the blocks themselves.
Restricting socials to block media
In Myanmar, social media platforms serve as the primary gateway to the internet for
most people. Because the social media apps are more accessible than browsers to
those with limited technical skills and were historically subsidised through zerorating data plans, the platforms remain the most vital distribution channels for
independent media and the most common spaces
for civic discourse.
Blocks on Facebook
Social media platforms also provide a lifeline for
surged from 72% to 98%
media sustainability, allowing journalists to reach
sources and, in some cases, generate advertising
during the election
revenue. By targeting these platforms with blocks,
the military did not just censor media content but
also attacked the financial and operational foundations of the independent media.
Prior to the election, 72% of attempts to access Facebook were blocked, alongside
64% for X (formerly Twitter), and 57% for Instagram. If successful, many of these
attempts would have enabled people to view the media. During the election
campaign countdown, these blocks reached near-total levels: Facebook blocks surged
from 72% to 98%, X from 64% to 88%, and Instagram from 57% to 81%. These social
media blocks essentially severed the primary artery of election-related information
for the vast majority of the population.
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