Myanmar military to tighten digital surveillance via mandatory phone IMEI registration

Myanmar’s military junta announced on Thursday a new plan to require the registration of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers for all mobile phones—a move that rights groups warn is a significant step toward total communication surveillance. Starting this week, the military intends to establish a Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR). This system will link specific mobile devices to individual users, allowing the regime to track and potentially disable hardware remotely. The junta claims the move is intended to streamline tax collection and curb illegal imports. According to an announcement made via state-owned media, the registration process will be split into two phases. Current users will not be required to pay additional taxes for devices already in use. However, the system will “automatically capture” IMEI numbers through local network providers. To ensure a device is registered, users must have a local SIM card inserted in their phones by the end of this month. Any mobile phones imported after the deadline must have their taxes paid and IMEI numbers registered before they are permitted to connect to local networks. Devices that remain unregistered will be blocked from making calls and accessing the internet. To reactivate a blocked device, owners will be forced to pay both the original tax and a fine. Digital rights activists and telecommunications experts are raising alarms over the privacy implications of the CEIR system. Thit Nyan, a digital rights researcher at the Myanmar Internet Project, noted that without legal safeguards, the system is a dangerous tool for an authoritarian regime. “Under dictators who seek absolute control, this is deeply concerning,” Thit Nyan said. “We are likely to see more harm to the public than any supposed benefits.” He points out that the military already possesses the biometric data of most citizens through the Electronic ID program, and SIM cards are already mandated to be linked to National Registration Cards. By adding the IMEI number to this database, the regime can create a comprehensive profile that connects a specific person to a specific SIM card and a specific physical handset. The Myanmar Internet Project issued a warning that this integration allows the military to pinpoint the exact identity and location of any user on the network. Activists, members of the resistance, and vulnerable individuals are being urged to exercise extreme caution when using SIM cards from the country’s four primary operators. Because the registration is automatic once a SIM is inserted, the location and identity of the user are immediately transmitted to the state-controlled system.

Myanmar military to tighten digital surveillance via mandatory phone IMEI registration

The move will enable the regime to create a comprehensive profile that connects users to a specific device and SIM card

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