developed the habit of using the platform to share information, initiate collective action on social and political issues, or follow exile media outlets when website blocking was still pervasive. According to one estimate, there were about 15 million Facebook users in June 2017, up from 7 million in 2015. 42 For some users frustrated at the challenge of navigating between sites on poor connections, Facebook has become the sole source of online news, potentially depriving local outlets of the advertising revenue. Online content is subject to some manipulation, though the extent and impact are unclear. Regional government officials, elements of the military, and some business people are believed to hire cybertroopers to promote their cause and spin the news on social media—especially Facebook—to their advantage, though their activities have not been well-documented. Some ethnic Burman internet users also run organized campaigns to spread racially charged comments across social media platforms. The issue is longstanding but continued throughout the coverage period. 43 U Wirathu, a key figure in the movement, reported that he was temporarily barred from Facebook in May 2017 (see Content Removal). Some of the manipulation took the form of fake news, deliberately false or inflammatory content disguised to look like a news report. 44 Much of the manipulative activity targets the political incumbents. In May, the government warned that unidentified people were spreading rumors to cause “political instability” during the tenure of leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Rumors included a suggestion that President Htin Kyaw—who Suu Kyi picked for head of state—would step down. 45 Digital Activism Activism fell off slightly in comparison with the previous reporting period, when the 2015 elections and humanitarian relief campaigns fueled significant online mobilization. Several dynamic campaigns were mounted to defend the environment or promote free speech, though they rarely achieved the desired outcome. One of the most visible campaigns was a call led by journalists and activists for the government to unconditionally drop Clause 66(d) of the Telecommunication Law, which criminalizes online defamation, disturbances, and threats. 46 When the