9/22/26, 11:13 AM
Myanmar Telecom Risk, Part 1 of 4: Surveillance and the Law
Digital & Telecoms Risk
Myanmar Telecom Risk, Part 1 of 4:
Surveillance and the Law
Sep 21, 2026
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The Bottom Line
Myanmar ranks at the bottom of Freedom House's global internet freedom index, tied with China at a
score of 9 out of 100.1 Since the military took power in February 2021, the authorities have rebuilt the
country's networks around three capabilities. Operators can intercept calls and messages; the
international gateways inspect and filter traffic; and registration rules tie each SIM and handset to a
named individual. The Cybersecurity Law, which took effect in July 2025, gives that arrangement a
statutory basis.
Our advice to anyone connecting in Myanmar is based on three working assumptions. Traffic on a
local network can be read, any phone can be inspected, and the authorities can obtain a company's
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