Online attacks trigger intense anxiety for the media and for individuals’ families who have been frequently targeted with violence, legal harassment, and extortion by the military. Digital platforms are, therefore, vital lifelines that can also be weaponised. The military can intercept communications through technical means or by arresting and torturing a journalist to reveal their digital networks. A single digital security slip in a host country can lead directly to a raid in Yangon. 3.2. Insecurity in exile Exile usually provides only partial safety because journalists often lack formal legal status in their host nations. The lack of legal protection creates a climate of constant fear and hyper vigilance. As one media owner stated: “I'm afraid of the police, I'm afraid of the government, I'm afraid of being deported.” “The local authorities are always watching, and I am afraid to go out,” said an editor. Fear does not only come from the authorities but also from the wider community. An editor stated: “I am afraid to go out even as a Myanmar person [due to discriminatory attitudes], let alone as a Myanmar journalist.” Another said: “I feel like I’m even being watched by other journalists [from the host nation] at press conferences.” This atmosphere of insecurity is a constant drain on professional resources and mental health. The threat from the host authorities severely limits movement and the ability to gather news in host countries. One editor noted: “I don’t carry my phone or laptop when I travel because I’m likely to be detained and extorted if the authorities suspect that I’m a journalist.” Even those who have legal papers feel insecure all the time. One journalist explained: “Even though I have some papers, I still feel insecure all the time.” 3.3. Forced to self-censor in exile Those threats may appear primarily offline, but they are deeply intertwined with the media’s online behaviour too. Host country pressures directly impede the media’s public interest mission. 64% of media admitted to withholding news due to threats in their host country. Page 10 of 19