Burma
Despite very low connectivity, Internet users in Burma have managed to
communicate valuable information
to the outside world during explosive
political events. The Burmese military
government continues to enforce
stringent overall access restrictions,
the most extreme of which occurred
during the complete shutdown of the
Internet in Burma in September and
October 2007. On top of these barriers to access, the government also polices Internet content through one of the most severe regimes of information control in the
world.
Background
The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the military government that rules
the Union of Myanmar, maintained its stranglehold on economic and political developments in Burma through several major crises in 2007 and 2008.
On August 19, 2007, precipitating what would become known as the Saffron Revolution, leaders of the 88 Generation student movement organized a rally to protest
a sudden sharp increase in fuel prices in Rangoon (Yangon). 1 Burmese spend up to
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
Filtering
No Evidence
of Filtering
Suspected
Filtering
Selective
Filtering
Substantial
Filtering
Pervasive
Filtering
Political
Social
Conflict and security
Internet tools
Other Factors
Low
Medium
High
Not
Applicable
Transparency
Consistency
Despite very low connectivity, Internet users in Burma have managed to
communicate valuable information
to the outside world during explosive
political events. The Burmese military
government continues to enforce
stringent overall access restrictions,
the most extreme of which occurred
during the complete shutdown of the
Internet in Burma in September and
October 2007. On top of these barriers to access, the government also polices Internet content through one of the most severe regimes of information control in the
world.
Background
The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the military government that rules
the Union of Myanmar, maintained its stranglehold on economic and political developments in Burma through several major crises in 2007 and 2008.
On August 19, 2007, precipitating what would become known as the Saffron Revolution, leaders of the 88 Generation student movement organized a rally to protest
a sudden sharp increase in fuel prices in Rangoon (Yangon). 1 Burmese spend up to
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
Filtering
No Evidence
of Filtering
Suspected
Filtering
Selective
Filtering
Substantial
Filtering
Pervasive
Filtering
Political
Social
Conflict and security
Internet tools
Other Factors
Low
Medium
High
Not
Applicable
Transparency
Consistency