Facebook removed the main page of Myanmar military as protests continue following a military coup

<p><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/6031fc4bbed5c50011a2bb97-2000/AP21030500240884.jpg" border="0" alt="Myanmar coup" data-mce-source="AP Photo/Thein Zaw" data-mce-caption="Buddhist monks hold placards as they participate in a rally protesting election results by supporters of the Myanmar military and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party near Shwedagon pagoda Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Yangon, Myanmar."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Facebook deleted the main page of the Myanmar military on Sunday for violating the platform's standards that prohibit the incitement of violence, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-facebook/facebook-takes-down-main-page-of-myanmar-military-idUSKBN2AL029">Reuters</a> reported.&nbsp;</p><p>Insider has reached out to Facebook for comment, but a spokesperson told Reuters: "In line with our global policies, we've removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from Facebook for repeated violations of our Community Standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm."&nbsp;</p><p>The military,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/myanmar-military-stages-coup-2021-2" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="60" data-uri="0797b87057d6a63221df4ed73bc2ccf2">known as the Tatmadaw</a>, took over on February 1, claiming there was mass voter fraud during the country's November elections.</p><p>An independent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/myanmar-military-stages-coup-2021-2" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="60" data-uri="0797b87057d6a63221df4ed73bc2ccf2">election committee</a>, however, reviewed the claims and found them to be baseless.&nbsp;</p><p>The coup resulted in the detention of officials including President Win Myint and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.</p><p>On Saturday, riot police shot and killed two people protesting against the coup, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-yangon-myanmar-e3a1aa40effe40cd7e5a6249d86af1a8">Associated Press</a> reported.&nbsp;</p><p>On February 9, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/myanmar-woman-dead-police-shot-during-anti-coup-protest-2021-2">another woman was shot in the head during protests</a>. Mya Thweh Thweh Khine, 20, died on Friday after being on life support.&nbsp;</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kyitoe60" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="40" data-uri="046132fc37d5474ef8210b1116adead5">Facebook</a> post, Kyi Toe, spokesperson for the National League for Democracy said Khine was shot by "a bullet that pierced a motorcycle helmet," and rights groups confirmed that she was shot by police.</p><p>The military's "True News Information Unit" however, claimed that only non-lethal weapons were used during the protests.&nbsp;</p><p>Earlier this month, in response to the coup, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coup-in-myanmar-facebook-censors-military-messaging-2021-2">Facebook said</a> it would "significantly reduce the distribution of all content on Facebook Pages and profiles run by the Myanmar military that has continued to spread misinformation.&nbsp;</p><p>The platform has been criticized in the past for not being strict enough on moderating political content.&nbsp;</p><p>In 2018, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zuckerberg-facebook-role-myanmar-ethnic-cleansing-rohingya-2018-4" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="80" data-uri="da0bf0eecd3d2acd94f4723133aaac58">Mark Zuckerberg said</a> the platform played a role in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/images-show-how-the-rohingya-are-killed-and-forced-to-flee-myanmar-2017-11" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="80" data-uri="7537a85846eade381945a62ac279b7f9">the ethnic cleansing of the country's Rohingya Muslim population.</a></p><p>On Saturday, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/myanmar-google-propaganda-blog-military-coup-donk-enby-2021-2">Google also removed a propaganda blog that was in support of the coup.</a> An online activist discovered that the military was using Blogger, which is owned by Google, for propaganda, as well as Gmail accounts being used to manage companies on a sanctions list released by President Joe Biden.&nbsp;</p><p>"We take action against accounts on our platforms in accordance with our product policies and applicable laws," a Google spokesperson told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/myanmar-google-propaganda-blog-military-coup-donk-enby-2021-2">Insider's Jeff Elder</a>. "In this case, we have terminated accounts as a result of President Biden's Executive Order of 11 February 2021 concerning Myanmar."&nbsp;</p><p>Biden announced an executive order on February 10 which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-announces-sanctions-targeting-myanmar-military-leaders-2021-2">ordered sanctions</a> against Myanmar's military leaders, limited the military's access to the country's $1 billion in government funds held in the US, and froze assets that help Myanmar's government.&nbsp;</p><p>"The people of Burma are making their voices heard, and the world is watching," Biden said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=U2agMADVbmQ" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="40" data-uri="25ff581487b441842e1d4e32584c8f46">briefing:</a>&nbsp;"We'll be ready to impose additional measures, and we'll continue to work with our international partners to urge other nations to join us in these efforts."</p><section data-track-content="" data-post-type="post"><section data-track-content="" data-post-type="post"><p><em>Have a news tip' Contact this reporter at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:you@insider.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="100" data-uri="85ae790cd505930fe827736b1415b29d">salarshani@insider.com</a></em></p></section></section><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-removes-the-main-page-of-myanmar-military-2021-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-travel-during-coronavirus-outbreak-planes-airports-virus-2020-3">Here's what it's like to travel during the coronavirus outbreak</a></p>
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