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Australian Live-Streaming Platform Quickly Removes Myanmar Military Propaganda Channels
Kick, an Australian live-streaming platform, has taken swift action against Myanmar’s military junta by removing multiple propaganda channels within hours of their launch. The Melbourne-based company refused to host the accounts for even a full day, delivering a significant blow to the junta’s digital propaganda efforts.
The removed channels included MRTV HD, MITV, MRTV News, MRTV Farmers, MRTV Sports, MRTV NRC, and MRTV Entertainment. According to Justice For Myanmar, a prominent activist group monitoring the situation, the military junta had turned to Kick after its propaganda accounts were previously removed from Amazon-owned Twitch, another popular streaming platform.
The military regime had intended to use Kick to livestream content through MRTV (Myanmar Radio and Television) websites and mobile applications. Following the takedown, MRTV websites and apps displayed an error message from Kick stating that “the connection appeared to be unavailable,” effectively cutting off this propaganda distribution channel.
Kick, primarily known as a gaming livestream platform similar to Twitch, is owned by Australian billionaire Ed Craven and his business partner Bijan Tehrani. The company’s decision aligns with growing international pressure on technology companies to deny digital platforms to Myanmar’s military regime, which seized power in a February 2021 coup that overthrew the democratically elected government.
In a related development, YouTube has also removed the junta’s Myanmar International TV (MITV) channel from its platform. This follows YouTube’s previous action against the military’s Ministry of Information channel. MITV had already been banned from Twitch and Facebook as part of broader efforts to limit the junta’s online reach.
MITV has served as a key propaganda tool for the military government, particularly targeting international audiences. The channel has been instrumental in the junta’s efforts to legitimize both the 2021 coup and its planned election, which democracy advocates have dismissed as a sham designed to entrench military rule.
Justice For Myanmar has called on Alphabet, YouTube’s parent company, to remove all remaining junta propaganda accounts and to implement a comprehensive block preventing the military from using any of its products and services. The organization continues to pressure all technology companies to take similar actions against the junta’s propaganda machinery.
The military takeover in Myanmar has led to widespread civil unrest, armed resistance, and a severe humanitarian crisis. The United Nations and numerous international organizations have documented extensive human rights abuses by the military regime, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and killings of civilians.
Digital platforms have become crucial battlegrounds in the struggle between Myanmar’s military government and pro-democracy forces. While the junta has used social media and streaming services to spread misinformation and propaganda, opposition groups have leveraged these same technologies to document abuses and organize resistance.
Tech companies face increasing scrutiny over their responsibility to prevent authoritarian regimes from using their platforms for propaganda purposes. The quick actions by Kick and YouTube represent part of a growing trend among technology companies to address their role in global conflicts and political crises.
As Myanmar’s crisis continues, the digital dimension of the conflict highlights the complex responsibilities facing technology companies operating in regions experiencing political upheaval and human rights abuses. Their decisions can have significant impacts on information flow, public perception, and ultimately, political outcomes in conflict zones.
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7 Comments
The military regime’s attempt to use streaming platforms like Kick to spread its propaganda is a concerning trend. I’m glad to see the platform take immediate action to remove those channels. Countering state-sponsored disinformation is crucial.
It’s encouraging that Kick refused to host the Myanmar junta’s propaganda channels, even for a short period. Denying these authoritarian regimes access to digital platforms is an important step in limiting the spread of their misleading narratives.
Good to see Kick take a firm stance against the Myanmar junta’s propaganda efforts. Allowing those channels would have only amplified their disinformation. Kudos to Kick for acting quickly to shut them down.
The Myanmar military’s pivot to using streaming platforms like Kick for propaganda is a concerning development. I’m glad to see Kick take a firm stance and shut down those channels quickly. Staying vigilant against state-sponsored disinformation is crucial.
Kudos to Kick for their swift response in taking down the Myanmar military’s propaganda channels. Removing these outlets from streaming platforms is a meaningful way to disrupt the junta’s digital influence operations.
Well done, Kick, for refusing to host the Myanmar junta’s propaganda channels, even briefly. Denying authoritarian regimes access to digital platforms is an important step in limiting the spread of their misleading narratives.
It’s good to see Kick take action against the Myanmar military’s propaganda efforts on their platform. Cutting off these channels quickly is a meaningful way to counter the junta’s attempts to amplify their distorted messaging.