Facebook Pulls the Plug on the Myanmar Military’s Social Media Page
Just a day after the tragic loss of two protesters in Mandalay, Facebook decided to retire the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from its platform. The move comes after the page allegedly flouted Facebook’s Community Standards by stirring up violence and coordinating harmful actions.
What Went Down?
On the 1st of February, a military coup rattled Myanmar’s political landscape. That same night, an angry crowd took to the streets in protest. In the heat of the moment, police fired into the crowd, claiming the footage via emergency services that two brave faces met their end. The next day, the army’s official Facebook face was taken offline.
Facebook’s Response
“In line with our global policies, we’ve removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from Facebook for repeated violations of our Community Standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm,” a spokesperson told Reuters. The army’s publicist, however, chose a quiet silence.
Why This Crackdown?
- Traditional foe: The Myanmar military, also known as the Tatmadaw, has long been a target for social media scrutiny.
- Past ties: In 2018, Facebook banned the speaking‑style figure Min Aung Hlaing and twenty other senior officers to curb misleading content.
- Current tactics: Facebook also swooped on a network of 70 fake accounts before the November elections—those accounts either praised the army or were critical of Aung San Suu Kyi.
From Backing to Banning
Though the platform once sided with civil‑rights activists and pro‑democracy parties in Myanmar, it faced intense international backlash after failing to quell online hate campaigns. The result? A robust operation to dismantle military propaganda threads and push for transparency.
As of Sunday, the “Tatmadaw True News” page is no longer a fixture on Facebook. The implementation signals a decisive step toward holding even powerful parties accountable on the digital stage.
