Vol. 8, No. 3 i. Smith & Smith: Use and Abuse of Social Media in Myanmar between… before entering any new market, particularly those with volatile ethnic, religious or other social tensions, Facebook and other social media platforms, including messenger systems, should conduct in-depth human rights impact assessments for their products, policies and operations, based on the national context and take mitigating measures to reduce risks as much as possible; 130 COVID-19 Pandemic At the outset of the pandemic, misinformation and fake news proliferated on Facebook.131 Despite official pleas to check information, the general public and businesspeople continued to upload photographs and post misleading information and advice concerning COVID-19.132 Also, in 2020, journalists were charged for spreading fake news on social media.133 The authorities disputed their report of the number of COVID-19 patients and deaths. Military Rule 2021-2022 Demonstrations followed the coup d'état of 1 February 2021.134 In order to stop people from mobilising for protests, the military rulers blocked access to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.135 Technology companies are developing tools to provide better protection to users from reprisals.136 However, using these tools requires a level of knowledge and security awareness. "Although digital security habits have improved significantly since 1 February, including through the uptake of VPNs and encrypted messaging applications such as Signal, it is largely younger and better educated users who have tightened up their practices. There is still a significant knowledge deficit in some demographics, which is particularly concerning given the array of tools the Tatmadaw has to target users."137 As western businesses withdrew from Myanmar following the coup, Norwegian telecommunications operator Telenor sold its Myanmar business to a Lebanese investment company which, in turn, was allowed to sell a stake to a 129 Ibid, para 144. Ibid, para 145. 131 Radio Free Asia. (2020). 132 Ibid. 133 Asia Centre (2021) at 5. 134 BBC News (2021). 135 Ibid. 136 International Crisis Group (2021). 137 Ibid. 130 322 Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4150894