Tech giants remove Myanmar’s pro-junta propaganda channels after activist pressure

Major international tech platforms have removed online accounts connected to the Myanmar military’s propaganda operations after the release of a report by the activist monitoring group Justice for Myanmar (JFM). In a statement released on Wednesday, JFM welcomed the decisions made by Twitch, Facebook, YouTube and MediaFire to stop hosting the propaganda platforms, noting that they were run by the Myanmar junta’s information ministry and military’s Directorate of Psychological Warfare and Public Relations. Twitch, a livestreaming platform owned by Amazon, shut down several channels broadcasting live feeds of content by the junta-controlled broadcasters Myanma Radio and Television (MRTV) and Myanmar International TV (MITV), according to JFM. The group said the junta had attempted to circumvent the bans by creating replacement channels, but Twitch later disabled those accounts as well. Other platforms took more limited action. Facebook removed the official MITV page, while YouTube terminated the junta Ministry of Information’s main account but has so far declined to take down a separate MITV channel. MediaFire, a file-hosting service, disabled accounts linked to the propaganda outlet Yadanabon Newspaper, which the junta’s psychological warfare unit uses to disseminate digital communications. JFM said the removed accounts were linked to individuals and entities sanctioned by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. The group also said it had contacted other major tech firms such as Apple, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram, but had received only minimal comments in response. “Propaganda is a pillar in the junta’s campaign of terror,” JFM spokesperson Yadanar Maung said, calling on tech companies to stop any service to the military. The removals came as the junta intensified its media and psychological operations ahead of an upcoming election widely dismissed as illegitimate by critics and international observers. United Nations experts have extensively documented how the Myanmar military uses online platforms to spread disinformation, incite violence, and to target civilians and resistance groups. Despite the takedowns, the military is continuing to use the messaging application Telegram to coordinate operations and intimidate opponents, according to activists and analysts. An investigation by Myanmar Now found this year that the junta has institutionalised its online propaganda efforts through its Department of Media Development, an agency established after the 2021 military coup and working within the Ministry of Information. Staffed by more than 50 people, the department is tasked with managing masses of fake social media accounts, using them to flood comment sections on posts and amplify pro-regime narratives.

Tech giants remove Myanmar’s pro-junta propaganda channels after activist pressure

Major tech companies have stopped hosting propaganda channels linked to the Myanmar military regime following pressure from activists

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