Face recognition technology is being used by Myanmar’s junta to increase public monitoring, which is causing new worries about the safety of opposition groups and democracy campaigners there. Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned of a “severe threat” to human rights in a study on Myanmar’s use of Chinese-made face recognition technology that was published in March.
Before the military overthrew the government in a coup in December 2020, HRW said that hundreds of cameras were deployed in townships around the capital Naypyidaw in the first phase of a security effort termed “safe city.” Additionally, cameras were set up throughout Yangon, the capital of Myanmar.
The safety of anybody who opposes the junta may be compromised as a result of the military’s expanded access to this technology, experts and activists on the ground worry.
According to a July report by the Reuters news agency, Myanmar’s military administration is now expanding video monitoring systems for cities throughout the nation’s 14 regions and divisions.
The cameras, which come from Chinese tech giants Huawei, Dahua, and Hikvision, are outfitted with artificial intelligence technology that automatically analyses faces and vehicle licence plates in public areas and notifies police of those who are sought.
The people of Myanmar were accustomed to military control in the past, but following a decade of growth and prosperity, many now feel as though they are returning to that time.
On February 1, 2021, the military seized control and toppled the democratically elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, ending a brief experience with democracy.
After that, Suu Kyi and other elected officials were detained by military commander Min Aung Hlaing.
The army’s reaction to the coup was prompt and brutal, despite the fact that it led to one of the largest pro-democracy demonstrations in Myanmar’s history.
Over 14,800 individuals have been detained, accused of crimes, or condemned by the junta, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), and over 2,100 people have died since the military administration came into control.
The army has defied worldwide calls to restore civilian government and has been strengthening its control on online advocates for democracy and the opposition.
The junta has banned online information and limited internet access by holding control of Telenor, Myanmar’s largest telecom firm. In order to keep track of and battle online “traitors,” there have also been rumours that the junta has planted spyware on telecom and internet service providers.
Governments all across the globe employ surveillance technologies for security to combat crime. This is by no means limited to autocratic governments; prior to the coup, Suu Kyi’s administration also made use of Chinese-manufactured technology.
However, HRW contends that the junta is using modern technology to tighten its grip on power in Myanmar’s internal political environment.
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