Cybercrimes : Law & IT Awareness For Social Media Users

A discussion on the situation of cybercrimes and ways to prevent them was held in Yangon on Sunday. 

People are alerted with the reported crimes occurring in the Internet, especially among Facebook users, due to lack of awareness on responsible Internet use, and weak legal framework on digital media, according to advocates. Shwe Myanmar Law firm made an effort to raise awareness about crimes on internet, Sunday.

Law Specialist ,Laws in Myanmar Website ,Maung Maung Nyunt : "Here, there are few internet crimes and they happened by writing comments, liking, posting and sharing the photos posted by other people and for being tagged. Facebook users are negligent of the existing laws such as electronic record law". 

In Myanmar, Electronic Transaction law, telecommunication law and evidence act (amending) law are in place and the violators can face up to 3-year prison term or 500,000 kyats fine if found to have violated these laws.

Besides, measures are underway to prescribe Cyber Crime Law to protect the security of the users, may they be individual or an organization. But IT specialists said that it may take three years to complete. 

IT specialist ,Zarni Than Win : "Some accounts are being hacked. In some cases, smear campaign was launched against celebrities. In some cases, young women fall prey to cyber bullying. They were approached by the men who later threaten and extort money from them. Users need to accept real accounts only as friends carefully. So, they need to be protected by Cyber Crime Law but it may take 3 more years to be in place". 

Myanmar currently works on an upcoming Cybercrime Law and is also expected manage and solve these Cyber Attacks effectively by coordinating and collaborating with National and International Organizations efficiently and elaborately.