L ki g he F e When looking to the future many challenges and needs arise These include the need for enhanced legal protections the care of activists psychological well being and the advancement of comprehensive digital safety Lega ec i Currently many laws exist in Myanmar which can be used to harass or arrest activists and those who are critical of the government or military Many of the participants therefore expressed concerns regarding the existing legal framework For example even though the Privacy Law is meant to protect the Myanmar people from state surveillance the law has been heavily criticized due to its vague and overly broad provisions As Free Expression Myanmar pointed out Myanmar has no less than six criminal defamation laws including the Privacy Law These laws are routinely used to punish journalists human rights defenders and others who are attempting to hold the powerful to account In the words of one of the participants My main concern is that the authority would and could use whichever law to file a case against us This system and the lack of legal protection it provides must be addressed in the future P ch gica e bei g Interviewees repeatedly brought up the need to take into account their psychological well being Prior to the NLD s assumption of power public support existed for activists and journalists to uncover the injustices perpetrated by the military Since the NLD came to power however pro NLD supporters aggressively criticize activists and journalists if they attempt to hold the authorities accountable These criticisms often get back to the families and friends of the activists and journalists This can have a large negative impact on their psychological well being as family members will accuse them of being traitors Some participants have been diagnosed with panic and anxiety disorders due to the stress of being intimidated surveilled and threatened along with their loved ones To make things better most of the participants emphasized the need for a holistic approach where mental well being is prioritized as much as physical and digital security Activists and journalists outside of Yangon who are at a particularly high risk and who have witnessed traumatizing events stressed the need for long term psychological support In looking to the future it is paramount for these needs to be acknowledged and addressed Digi a afe eed Comprehensive digital safety is a community based not individual effort Most of the participants expressed the need to expand digital safety not only to their organizations and colleagues but also to their family and friends Individuals outside Yangon with limited resources face challenges with communications platforms circumvention tools emergency response and a lack of connection with organizations working on digital safety support For example in the northern part of the country activists and journalists are often forced to use WeChat a Chinese messaging app because the majority of people in the region use it Increased access to more secure apps and affordable VPNs is needed to improve overall digital safety