CCTV Systems and Human Rights in Myanmar Summary

ARTICLE 19 and Digital Rights Collective Report on CCTV in Myanmar

Executive Summary

• Investigation focuses on public procurement and spending of CCTV systems in Myanmar.

• Emphasis on transparency linked to public accountability and civil society oversight.

• CCTVs serve as a foundation for AI-based surveillance technologies in "smart cities".

• Growing human rights concerns following the military coup in 2021.

• Report advocates for the importance of studying CCTV systems for future implications on digital rights.

Key Findings

• CCTVs monitored during protests; concerns about their use for mass surveillance.

• Lack of accountability in technology deployment tied to governmental processes.

• Evidence shows increasing military control and use of CCTVs to target dissent.

• Recommendations for civil society to push back against oppressive surveillance technology.

Procurement Transparency Issues

• Public procurement processes often lack transparency; many projects awarded directly without tender processes.

• Potential conflicts of interest due to ties between implementing companies and military regimes.

• Calls for improvement in public accountability mechanisms and information disclosure.

Human Rights Implications

• Design of CCTV systems can infringe on freedom of expression, privacy, and assembly.

• Biometric capabilities of CCTVs raise new risks for data manipulation and discrimination.

• Debate over "safety" versus human rights demonstrates potential for misuse of surveillance technology.

Recommendations

• Propose a ban on mass surveillance and emotion recognition technology.

• Legislative reforms required to safeguard human rights in smart city initiatives.

• Encourage the establishment of effective accountability and oversight frameworks.

Conclusion

• Continuous scrutiny needed on the role of technology in civic spaces.

• Highlight importance of understanding procurement impacts on governance and civil liberties in Myanmar.