Htet Aung Kyaw is a freelance journalist in Myanmar who developed this blog as a valuable resource tool for Burmese people.  The blog offers guidance on travel, books, culture, and news, but also attempts to educate the population on what media is and how it is used. Although most of the blog is written in Burmese, much of the website can be translated into English. The post I would like to focus on specifically is not translated perfectly, but is titled “Modestly from the Media should be the New Government should be Divided Largely” .

This blog post was very interesting because it began with very factual reporting of traditional and new forms of media and the participation each form garnered. It ended, however, with the writer’s personal stance on how social media should be used. At first, they explained how the right to freedom of expression is granted through this type of medium and how accessible it is for every day citizens to use. Kyaw then moved, however, to discuss how its use can weaken the regime and government stability. He states that governments should not weaken themselves by allowing for such criticism to occur and claims it undermines the system. He draws and interesting contrast to media’s use in democratic regimes such as the US and England and says media criticism there, but overall writes on this clear distinction that should be made.

Kyaw references the most popular forms of social media such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Youtube, and considers their influence and use international. It is interesting however, if thinking in the similar mindset to Kyaw, that not all of these sites may be used in the same way or have the same impact (good or bad) in these different countries. It reinforces that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to solving domestic issues or using new forms of online media.

Blog Post: http://www.htetaungkyaw.net/2016/06/blog-post_14.html

Quinn Conrad

31 March 2018