Myanmar military blocks internet, social media amid protests against coup
February 8, 2021
The Myanmar military first shut down access to social media platforms Instagram and Twitter, and later imposed a wider internet blackout as protests against deposing of the Aung San Suu Kyi government swelled.
After initially blocking Facebook, Myanmar on February 5 ordered mobile network and internet service providers to block Twitter and Instagram in the country as well. The next day, February 6, the country’s new military government directed all service providers to temporarily shut down data nationwide, and to permit only SMS and voice calls, referencing fake news, stability of the nation, and public interest as basis for the order. The internet shutdown directive only came hours after access to Twitter and Instagram were blocked as people for protests against the military coup, reported BBC News.