Facebook rolls out new safety feature to protect Myanmar protestors
Facebook introduced their new privacy setting feature that allows Burmese protestors to lock their profiles and limiting access to people on their friend’s list.
From the current event, Anti-coup protesters in Myanmar resist the military suppression by posting photos of Easter eggs painted with anti-coup slogans on Facebook. After Myanmar’s military seized power, Facebook has been banned in Myanmar since the 7th of February. Given that Burmese use Facebook to stay up to date on the protesting news and express their support for the protestors.
By all means, Facebook wasn’t slow to come up with a safety protocol to help Burmese Facebook users securing their accounts. On March 31, Facebook introduced their new privacy setting feature that allows Burmese protestors to lock their profiles and limiting access to people on their friend’s list so that users outside of their friend’s list won’t be able to access their Facebook profile.
According to Alexia “Once a user is caught or detained by the police, their close friends could report their account to Facebook to have the account temporarily locked. This would be particularly helpful to many protestors in Myanmar who risk their lives on the street protesting against the junta regime, and help prevent the police from collecting evidence on their social media account”
