![]() It has provided them with newfound freedom to obtain information, express themselves, and connect with others. 4 Today, Facebook is the internet for most people in Myanmar, and it has had a transformative effect on their lives. By 2018, there were an estimated 16 to 30 million Facebook accounts. In addition, virtually every news source in Myanmar can now be accessed via Facebook. 3įacebook use spread quickly, partly because phones typically come preloaded with Facebook and some mobile phone plans do not count time on Facebook toward the plan’s minutes. Cheap 3G Chinese phones became widely available and by mid-2017, most people had access to a cellphone. They welcomed foreign telecommunications companies and competition between cellular providers decreased the price of SIM cards from several hundred dollars to less than $2. The authorities ended prepublication censorship and passed laws allowing freedom of speech, association, and assembly, albeit with restrictions. The new, semi-elected government was eager to reengage with the world and gain domestic legitimacy. ![]() 2 This article considers the reasons for the explosion of dangerous speech in Myanmar, the impacts it has had, and the actions needed to prevent further violence.Ī Communications and Information Revolutionįrom 1962 to 2010, Myanmar was under authoritarian rule, during which the regime imposed tight restrictions on the media, cellphone access, and internet use to limit access to outside information and prevent antiregime organizing. By creating and disseminating images of adversaries through the mass media-and in Myanmar’s case, social media-a group can generate widespread support for the idea that such adversaries cannot remain. The society has struggled with mistrust and violence, and Facebook has become the primary medium of communication. In Myanmar, however, often the speakers are highly regarded. If the words are hateful but the speaker is a marginal figure, multicultural tolerance is deeply rooted, and people rely on diverse sources for information, the words will likely have little impact. Analysis of the speaker, the audience, the context, and the medium are also necessary. “Dangerous speech” is a term used by the Dangerous Speech Project to describe language meant to persuade “one group of people to fear and hate-and eventually to condone violence against-another group.” 1 Offensive language in and of itself is not necessarily dangerous. Dangerous speech has become widespread online with grave offline consequences. The Myanmar Government’s actions also demand consideration, as officials have used Facebook in ways that have reinforced anti-Muslim narratives while restricting independent reporting. How much responsibility does Facebook have for regulating dangerous speech in Myanmar? This is a particularly pertinent question given how Buddhist ultranationalists have taken advantage of the platform to stoke fear, normalize hateful views, and facilitate acts of violence against Muslims in Myanmar. It concludes with a consideration of what Facebook and the government should do to reduce the likelihood of future violence. It then analyzes the Myanmar Government’s use of Facebook in ways that have reinforced, rather than challenged, anti-Muslim rhetoric while restricting independent reporting. It begins with a discussion of how Buddhist ultranationalists have used Facebook to stoke fear, normalize hateful views, and facilitate acts of violence against the Rohingya and other Muslim communities in Myanmar. This article addresses ethical dilemmas concerning freedom of expression and Facebook in a context of religious tension and semi-democratic rule in Myanmar.
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