The National Management Committee of Myanmar has recently issued new regulations, classifying the illegal use of VPNs, Facebook, Telegram, and other applications as "illegal applications" and defining such actions as felonies. Offenders face a minimum of three years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment.
The regulations were jointly issued by Myanmar's Ministry of Information, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Transport and Communications, and apply nationwide, specifically targeting "the use of unregistered foreign platforms for information dissemination, organizing incitement, or evading supervision."
The announcement specifically identifies three major categories of "illegal platforms":
VPN Tools: All virtual private network software not authorized by the government;
Social Media: Facebook, Telegram, Signal, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), etc.;
International Communication Apps: Viber, Messenger, etc.
The military government claims that this measure is intended to "prevent the spread of harmful information, maintain national security and social stability," but it is widely interpreted by the outside world as a further tightening of internet control and suppression of dissent.
The announcement does not specify what constitutes "illegal use," but clearly states that the detection of related applications or tools on a device can serve as a basis for law enforcement. Police are authorized to inspect mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices at any time, with first-time offenders facing three years to life imprisonment, and those with more severe circumstances facing even harsher penalties.
This new rule has caused widespread concern among the people and foreigners in Myanmar, especially those who rely on these platforms to communicate with the outside world. Several human rights organizations and NGOs have already expressed serious concerns and are calling on the Myanmar authorities to withdraw the policy to avoid further infringement on freedom of speech and information.
