Internet Filtering

Myanmar

Myanmar

• Democratic Rule ended in 1962• 1962 – Present: Socialist Ruling Party (Rule by

Military Junta)• All aspects of society (business, media,

production) are nationalized or under government control

Internet Filtering

Internet Users as of 2005: 78,000 – 300,000

Substantial Filtering(in following areas)

• Social Networking and Dating• Conflict/Security websites• Internet Tools

Note: Most users access the Internet via Cybercafés and less than 1% percent of the county’s population uses the internet.

Pervasive FilteringPolitical Websites

Types Of Filtering

• URL Filtering• Blockpage

• Countries with similar scope and types of internet filtering are China, Iran, and Yemen

• In 2007 Military Junta shut down access to entire internet

Myanmar’s Internet Test Results(conducted on two different internet service providers)

• Google Mail (gmail), Google Talk (gtalk) and Skype• Human Rights sites and Political Reform

• Note – Several Human right sites dealing specifically with Myanmar as well as other countries were blocked, including Independent Media sources

Sources:

• Access Denied - R. Deibert, J. Palfrey, R. Rohozinski, J. Zittrain Copyright 2008

• Open Net Initiative http://opennet.net/