Blue Shirt Initiative
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5.2 Social Media, Contents, Quality and Reliability
Social media has evolved into more than just a source of information- it now serves as
a powerful platform for mobilizing citizens or shaping public opinion, particularly in
Myanmar, where press freedom and the role of mainstream media has diminished
under the draconian censorship laws. On the one hand, social media enhances
connectivity and democratizes the information ecosystem. On the other hand, its
algorithms often limit exposure to diverse views, instead reinforcing echo chambers.
The Blue Shirt team asked the respondents the types of content they encounter in their
newsfeeds, how frequently they see them, and their perception of content quality.
Military and violence actions
51%
Conscription
48%
Socioeconomic issues,
daily life challenges
23%
Clickbait content
20%
Unrelated content such as
entertainment, personal life,
celebrities
16%
Humanitarian crisis
14%
Non-violence means
10%
Hate speech, discrimination
10%
International and regional
mediation
9%
Crime and personal safety
8%
Political solutions
7%
Environmental issues
6%
Elections
0% 4%
12%
DK/RA
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Fig-45 : Newsfeed contents (overall) n=2808
50%
60%