Up to six months in prison and fines of up to 2 million kyats (almost $1,000). This is what people in Myanmar now risk for using a VPN service without approval after a new controversial cybersecurity law was enacted on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
According to the military junta, the new law aims to "prevent cyberattacks through electronic technology that threatens national sovereignty, peace, and stability, as well as to effectively investigate and bring charges against cybercrimes," as reported by Radio Free Asia.
Yet, experts are worried about the implications on citizens' digital rights, such as online privacy, free speech, and access to information.
Myanmar's internet has been under strict control following the 2021 coup. Social media platforms, along with independent and international media, are all blocked, making the use of the best VPN apps a necessity for staying connected and accessing free information.
Digital rights under siege
As mentioned, legal experts and digital rights groups have warned against the risk the new law poses to people's digital freedoms.
Talking to Radio Free Asia, for example, a legal expert suggests that there should be a limit to authorities' reach in controlling citizens' online activities.
"The VPN law is being misused to control public narratives. The Junta is more interested in restricting independent information flow rather than focusing solely on legitimate cybersecurity concerns," another legal expert from the city of Mawlamyine told a local human rights group.
Beyond VPNs, the 16 chapters and 88 articles-long cybersecurity law also criminalizes other online activities such as online fraud, illegal gambling, and unauthorized financial transactions. Here, prison sentences can range between two to seven years.
The military regime activated the Cybersecurity Law on Wednesday, imposing up to six months in jail or 1-10 million kyats (US$475-4,750) in fines for establishing virtual private network (VPN) connections or providing VPN services without permission. #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar pic.twitter.com/4Wo6s2aOIHJanuary 2, 2025
Myanmar's new law appears to be the final act of the Junta's work to prevent citizens from using virtual private network (VPN) apps to bypass government-imposed online restrictions.
We reported back in June last year how an enforced Myanmar VPN ban plunged citizens into online darkness in May. Most VPN services stopped working, with soldiers reportedly inspecting the phones of random pedestrians on the lookout for illegal VPN apps, too.
At the same time, Myanmar was among the nations most affected by internet shutdowns and social media blocks in 2024. As per the latest data, Myanmar suffered the longest with a total of 20,376 hours of online blockage over the 12 months, affecting 23.7 million people.
What's certain now is that the new law makes it even more difficult for everyday citizens to combat daily online restrictions without legal repercussions.
