Technology: Friend or Foe for Women of Myanmar
How do you response to these attacks after the 2021 February Coup?
No Comment
1.14%
Did Not
Respond Attack
1.14%
14.86%
No Experience
43.43%
Stop Using Internet
Consult with
Legal Service
2.29%
45.14%
Self-Censorship
Reporting in
Social Media
16.00%
Lack of Law Enforcement
For Complaints
0.57%
Changing Social Media
Profile Name
0.57%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
Figure 15: Response to online attacks
One young male interviewee described what he thought about misogynistic posts on
social media:
“Online spaces where men’s rights activists and anti-feminists can
connect and mobilize have grown in post-coup Myanmar. These groups of
misogynistic men encourage online harassment against feminists or other
people that hold gender equality views. Their coordinated attacks not only
target specific individuals or groups but on issues such as the Htamein flag
campaign or people who post about racial equality or challenging patriarchal
gender norms. The harassment can include gender trolling, derogatory
comments about women’s bodies and sexualities, rape threats, calling for
the murder of women political figures and activists. The internet provides
the ability for these abusers to remain anonymous. Online harassment can
contribute to a culture in which violence is seen as normal and inevitable,
and those coordinated attacks are intended to silence women.” (KII_08, a
woman digital rights activist and privacy advocate)
48