6/9/22, 1:06 PM Is Facebook’s bias a source of concern for Myanmar’s 2020 election? | Eleven Media Group Co., Ltd Entertainment Cartoon Is Facebook’s bias a source of concern for Myanmar’s 2020 election? Is Facebook’s bias a source of concern for Myanmar’s 2020 election? Politics, Opinion Union Election Commission's supervisors at the Aung Nan Yeik Thar Ward poll booths during the 2018 by-election on November 3. Published 11 February 2020 San Moe Tun - Translated by Kywe Wa Dana Tun “There are plans to form a group that will monitor words being said on Facebook, to remove words that will impede or harm the election, and to delete words that can be classified as hate speech. We’ve discussed these matters with Facebook’s representatives. We have talked it over to either delete items that they found to meet this criteria and have also asked Facebook to also remove items that we submit to them.” Such were the words of U Myint Naing, a member of the Union Election Commission (UEC), at a press conference held at the UEC office on February 6. Three key points from what he said include: 1) a committee will be formed to monitor Facebook posts 2) Discussions were made to remove content that will harm the election and promote hate speech and 3) agreement was made to delete posts that Facebook found to be harmful and to delete posts at the request of the UEC . Perhaps the most interesting point is the third one because an agreement has been made in which Facebook and the UEC would essentially have the authority to delete posts that it found to be harmful to the election. So what exactly did the UEC discuss with Facebook? What posts are classified as harmful to the election? What will constitute ‘hate speech’? Much of this is mired in ambiguity. https://elevenmyanmar.com/news/is-facebooks-bias-a-source-of-concern-for-myanmars-2020-election-0 2/10