ONI Country Profi le
257
and controls as the government will be given a better capacity to control traffi c.
48 At a
time of emergency, the government will only have to shut down the Yatanarpon ISP,
as opposed to all ISPs, in order to block civilian users from the Internet. The Burma
Media Association and Reporters Without Borders have expressed concern about the
safety of users ’ login credentials because there are possibilities of sniffi ng (or “ Man in
the Middle ” )
49 attacks and DNS spoofi ng/poisoning.
50 These new developments demonstrate that the government intends to expand Burma ’ s Internet access, while at the
same time maintaining strict control over online activity.
Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
Despite the fact that the right to equal protection under the law, to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, to education, and other fundamental rights are guaranteed
in the Burmese constitution, the SPDC continues to violate these rights and freedoms.
51 Although the SPDC claims that 380 domestic laws are being reviewed for
compliance with constitutional human rights provisions,
52 it continues to apply broad
laws and regulations in order to punish citizens for any activity deemed detrimental
to the national interest or the SPDC ’ s grip on power.
All domestic radio and television stations, as well as daily newspapers, are state
owned.
53 While more than 100 print publications are privately owned,
54 the Ministry
of Information limits licensing to media outlets that agree only to print approved
material and to submit to vigorous advance censorship by the Press Scrutiny and
Registration Division.
55 For example, in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, media were prohibited from publishing stories that depicted devastation and human suffering.
56
Publishing license regulations issued by the Ministry of Information in 2005 are prodigious in scope, banning negative news and commentary about ASEAN, any “ nonconstructive ” criticism of government departments, coverage of national disasters and
poverty that affect the public interest, and the citation of foreign news sources that
are detrimental to the state.
57 In effect since 1962, the Printers and Publishers Registration Law applies to all “ printed published matter ” and requires the registration of all
printing presses, printers, and publishers, as well as the submission of all books and
newspapers as they are published.
58 Similar restrictions apply in the Video and Television Law, which stipulates three years of imprisonment in cases of “ copying, distributing, hiring or exhibiting videotape ” that has not received the prior approval of the
Video Censor Board.
59
Online access and content are stringently controlled through legal, regulatory, and
economic constraints. As in other areas, state policies are diffi cult to access because
they are rarely published or explained.
A terms-of-service rule for MPT users issued in 2000 provided a warning that online
content would be subject to the same kind of strict fi ltering that the Press Scrutiny
257
and controls as the government will be given a better capacity to control traffi c.
48 At a
time of emergency, the government will only have to shut down the Yatanarpon ISP,
as opposed to all ISPs, in order to block civilian users from the Internet. The Burma
Media Association and Reporters Without Borders have expressed concern about the
safety of users ’ login credentials because there are possibilities of sniffi ng (or “ Man in
the Middle ” )
49 attacks and DNS spoofi ng/poisoning.
50 These new developments demonstrate that the government intends to expand Burma ’ s Internet access, while at the
same time maintaining strict control over online activity.
Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
Despite the fact that the right to equal protection under the law, to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, to education, and other fundamental rights are guaranteed
in the Burmese constitution, the SPDC continues to violate these rights and freedoms.
51 Although the SPDC claims that 380 domestic laws are being reviewed for
compliance with constitutional human rights provisions,
52 it continues to apply broad
laws and regulations in order to punish citizens for any activity deemed detrimental
to the national interest or the SPDC ’ s grip on power.
All domestic radio and television stations, as well as daily newspapers, are state
owned.
53 While more than 100 print publications are privately owned,
54 the Ministry
of Information limits licensing to media outlets that agree only to print approved
material and to submit to vigorous advance censorship by the Press Scrutiny and
Registration Division.
55 For example, in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, media were prohibited from publishing stories that depicted devastation and human suffering.
56
Publishing license regulations issued by the Ministry of Information in 2005 are prodigious in scope, banning negative news and commentary about ASEAN, any “ nonconstructive ” criticism of government departments, coverage of national disasters and
poverty that affect the public interest, and the citation of foreign news sources that
are detrimental to the state.
57 In effect since 1962, the Printers and Publishers Registration Law applies to all “ printed published matter ” and requires the registration of all
printing presses, printers, and publishers, as well as the submission of all books and
newspapers as they are published.
58 Similar restrictions apply in the Video and Television Law, which stipulates three years of imprisonment in cases of “ copying, distributing, hiring or exhibiting videotape ” that has not received the prior approval of the
Video Censor Board.
59
Online access and content are stringently controlled through legal, regulatory, and
economic constraints. As in other areas, state policies are diffi cult to access because
they are rarely published or explained.
A terms-of-service rule for MPT users issued in 2000 provided a warning that online
content would be subject to the same kind of strict fi ltering that the Press Scrutiny