The Myanmar military is systematically deploying social media as a second front in its war against the opposition, using disinformation, fake news, and psychological warfare to drive a wedge between revolutionary forces and the public.
A new report titled “The Military Council’s Psychological Operations: What to Watch For,” released by the Myanmar Defense and Security Investigation (MDSI), warns that the junta’s strategy is designed to breed doubt among the populace and shatter trust between allied resistance groups. The report emphasizes the critical need for individuals to verify information before sharing it.
According to the MDSI, the military has intensified efforts to trigger internal conflicts, specifically targeting partnerships such as the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) and the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF), as well as driving a wedge between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).
“When recent internal issues arose within the National Unity Government (NUG), we saw a surge in pro-junta fake accounts posing as activists or citizens to attack the NUG,” a border-based officer from the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA). “Their goal is to decrease public trust and create friction between the NUG and other revolutionary organizations”.
The report highlights that psychological operations are most effective when the public is experiencing heightened emotions or uncertainty. It suggests that half-truths—where a grain of reality is mixed with fabrication—are more dangerous than outright lies.
Multiple government departments under the military council are now involved in this multifaceted propaganda effort. Historically, the military’s Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare has served as the central hub for sustaining the dictatorship by undermining political opponents through such strategic subversion.
Experts warn that civilians must build “mental fortresses” by remaining analytical and cautious of inflammatory digital content as the junta looks to social media to reclaim the ground it has lost on the physical battlefield.
