Unlocked and Exposed: Digital Security and Online Learning in Myanmar

In post-coup Myanmar, online learning isn’t just about access—it’s about safety. This study explores how digital surveillance by the State Administration Council (SAC) has reshaped classroom dynamics in alternative education institutions. With students and teachers fearing identification and reprisal, webcams stay off, real names are hidden, and meaningful interaction suffers.

Based on interviews with students, educators, and administrators, the study details how digital security concerns force educators to rethink communication, trust-building, and pedagogy. Without visual or verbal cues, teachers rely on new strategies to engage learners—while shouldering the burden of safety for their students.

The report sheds light on a quiet but urgent challenge: how to sustain quality education when surveillance and fear hollow out the digital classroom. It offers practical guidance for educators navigating this reality and calls on education providers to integrate security into teaching, not treat it as an afterthought.

This study is part of the Myanmar Digital Research series published by Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar (K4DM) with support from International Development Research Centre and The SecDev Foundation.