Myanmar’s Military Struggles to Control the Virtual Battlefield Crisis Group Asia Report N°314, 18 May 2021 Page iii and the more tech-savvy users are likely to find ways to exploit the intranet to gain unfettered access to the wider web. Nevertheless, technology companies and foreign governments should ensure that they are not directly or indirectly assisting the Tatmadaw’s efforts to control the internet or digitally suppress the opposition. Before the coup, the military and civiliancontrolled branches of government had acquired or sought to acquire a wide array of technologies from foreign companies – many of them based in the United States – to monitor social media, unlock devices, recover data and watch the public. These technologies are now all under military control and will likely be used to suppress dissent. To stop more from making their way into the generals’ hands, foreign governments should introduce or broaden arms embargoes to cover “dual-use” equipment, software and technologies that could be employed to suppress political opposition. They should also enforce such bans properly by strictly policing sales through brokers. More broadly, both technology companies and foreign governments have a role to play in supporting openness of the internet and user security. As the military increasingly targets social media users for content they post, companies and governments can help internet users in Myanmar gain access to the knowledge and tools to keep themselves safe while online. They should endeavour to make sure secure VPNs are freely available to activists and others likely to be at high risk of surveillance. Social media companies should also ensure they are adequately monitoring the Tatmadaw and its personnel on their platforms in light of both recent events and its past online behaviour. Yangon/Brussels, 18 May 2021