In brief
A recent earthquake in Myanmar has highlighted the drastic effects of the nation's internet censorship, making it difficult to assess the disaster's impact.
Following the significant 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday, information about the event has been sparse, especially compared to the extensive reporting in neighboring Thailand. This communication gap is largely due to Myanmar's ongoing internet censorship implemented by the ruling military junta since its coup in 2021. Access to social media and the internet has frequently been cut to stifle dissent, leaving the country digitally isolated.As officials struggled to communicate after the quake — which affected areas as far away as Bangkok — government websites experienced outages. Reports suggest that while some regions face severe internet limitations, others have managed to maintain connections through satellite networks like Starlink. Amnesty International's Myanmar expert, Joe Freeman, emphasizes that the internet restrictions are severely impacting information flow about the earthquake's destruction within the country. This digital information void contrasts sharply with the past when users freely shared content online during crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and protests against military rule. The urgent need for clarity on the damage caused by the quake remains a challenge, with the people's voices silenced amid governmental control of communications.
