Cyber Law at Myanmar
Myanmar's cybersecurity legal framework has undergone significant changes under the military junta, raising serious concerns about privacy, freedom of expression, and digital security.
🛡️ Cybersecurity Law No. 1/2025
Enacted on January 1, 2025, the Cybersecurity Law No. 1/2025 establishes a comprehensive framework for regulating digital activities in Myanmar. Key provisions include:
Centralized Control:The law empowers the military-led Central Cybersecurity Committee to oversee and enforce cybersecurity measures, including surveillance and censorship
Penalties for VPN Use:Individuals operating unauthorized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) face imprisonment of up to six months, fines ranging from 1 to 10 million kyats, or both-
Data Retention Requirements:Service providers must retain user data for up to three years and disclose it to authorities upon request
Platform Licensing:Digital platforms with over 100,000 users in Myanmar must register with the government and comply with licensing requirements
Crackdown on Online Gambling: The law imposes severe penalties for unauthorized online gambling activities, including imprisonment and asset confiscation
⚖️ Legal and Human Rights Concerns
The implementation of this cybersecurity law has raised significant legal and human rights concerns
Threat to Privacy and Free Expression:The law's broad surveillance provisions and censorship measures are seen as tools to suppress dissent and control information
Unconstitutional Provisions:Critics argue that the law violates Myanmar's constitution, which guarantees rights to free expression and privacy
Weakening of Security Safeguards:The final law has removed essential technical security safeguards, eroding digital trust and exposing Myanmar's digital environment to heightened cyber threats
🌐 International Response
The international community has expressed concern over Myanmar's cybersecurity law:
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights APHR has called for the immediate withdrawal of the law, labeling it unconstitutional and a threat to fundamental freedom.
Digital Rights Organizations Various NGOs have criticized the law for its potential to stifle civil society and digital rights organizations, particularly those involved in digital security work.
In summary, Myanmar's new cybersecurity law consolidates state control over digital spaces, imposing stringent regulations that undermine privacy, freedom of expression, and digital securit. The law's implementation has sparked widespread criticism from human rights organizations and the international communit.
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