Myanmar’s new regime blocks Wikipedia

Myanmar has blocked Wikipedia in all languages, NetBlocks says. The measure is also accompanied by an ‘internet curfew’, which has now been in place for a week. The country is in turmoil after the February 1 military coup; every day citizens take to the streets.

NetBlocks suggested on Friday that Wikipedia, in all languages ​​and including sister sites like Wikidata and Wikimedia, are blocked in the Southeast Asian country. Wikipedia itself reports that too. There is also said to be an edit war going on on the Wikipedia page of military leader General Min Auyng Hlaing; which would mainly focus on his career and current title. In addition to Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram also have to deal with blockages. The use of certain words referring to the coup and the protests is also prohibited.

Facebook removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from its platform on Sunday. That is the official Facebook news page of the army of Myanmar, according to Reuters. It did so because of “repeated violations of our community standards that prohibit incitement to violence and coordination of harm.” That writes Reuters.

The internet curfew is in effect from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. and was introduced a week ago. During the curfew, connectivity drops to about 15 percent of its usual level, reports NetBlocks.

The demonstrations against the coup are met with violence, writes, among others, the NOS. The army is said to have opened fire on protesters and images are shared on the Myanmar subreddit that would be of the protests and outbreaks of violence.