200 million ‘datapoints’ show Myanmar general public still rejects military rule

Mizzima

A recent report on the military’s suppression of independent media during Myanmar’s elections included a rare, data-driven picture of public attitudes toward military rule since the 2021 coup, based on sentiment analysis of 194.7 million Facebook reactions, according to the NGO Human Rights Myanmar 7 July.

In a context where surveys are unsafe, and dissent risks violence, arrest, and surveillance, these digital traces offer one of the most reliable indicators of public opinion, the NGO says. The findings show that, even in 2026, the Myanmar public continues to overwhelmingly reject military rule and deny the junta any claim to public legitimacy.

Changes in public sentiment toward news

Their report has examined the direction, scale, and nuances of changes to media information flows on Facebook after the coup. The rise of emoji “reactions”, seen globally but especially in Myanmar, because more overt forms of dissent have been criminalised, offers a more detailed understanding of audience opinion. This section analyses how these shifts in public sentiment reflect views of the media, its coverage, and the coup.

Supporting trusted media with ‘Love’ reactions

A shift in “Love” Reactions towards the independent media shows increased affection, appreciation, emotional resonance, and trust. Before the coup, independent media captured 58% of all Love reactions. By 2026, this rose to 78% of all Love reactions. Local-level reporting contributed significantly to this shift, with Love Reactions increasing by +1,901%. Conversely, military-affiliated media saw their proportion of Love reactions halve, dropping from 42% to 22%. This shows increased desire to exercise the right to form an opinion without interference, and greater recognition of the legitimacy of non-State actors.

The shift in Love reactions also highlights a change in public sentiment toward political engagement. Before the coup, the highest proportion of Love reactions (57%) was given to entertainment channels with pro-military leanings. By 2026, most were directed at outlets with an anti-military editorial stance (66%). Growth in Love reactions for partisan media rose by +139% compared to +74% for impartial outlets. This demonstrates a shift toward a more serious sentiment when exercising the right to access information, reflecting the gravity of the coup on people’s lives.

Increased anger and shock at atrocities

Increases in “Angry” and “Wow” reactions provide a map of the public’s negative sentiment when accessing media. The proportion of reactions that were Angry tripled after the coup from 3% to 8%. Over the five years, they grew by +525% overall, but this growth was uneven. Angry reactions increased by +906% on independent media but dropped by -53% on military-affiliated outlets. This indicates an increase in the public’s desire to exercise the right to dissent in response to military repression, and to demand accountability for violations of the rights to life, liberty, and security of person.

The proportion of Wow reactions may have dropped from 7% to 5%, but they still remain significant and reveal a public in shock. Wow reactions represent astonishment, amazement, and disbelief. They grew by +73% for the independent media but shrank for the military-affiliated media by -74%. The decline of Wow reactions on military-affiliated media shows a total breakdown of State credibility, representing a public rejection of propaganda that attempts to distort the right to credible information.

Collective grief through ‘Sad Face’

The growth of “Sad Face” reactions shows increased collective mourning. Since the coup, Sad Face reactions have grown by +365% overall, with 98% of this sentiment on independent media. Local-level media, which often cover human rights violations in depth, saw a +1,506% increase in Sad Face reactions. Media outlets with a pro-opposition editorial stance also saw an increase of +670%. A small proportion of Sad Face reactions are on posts by military-affiliated media (2%). This growth in collective mourning preserves public memory and reinforces the human dignity of those people whose fundamental rights have been violated by the military.

Using the ‘Haha’ reaction to ‘troll’ independent media

The “Haha” Reaction has become a tool for “trolling” independent journalism rather than an expression of humour. It has grown in use by +117% since the coup and is found almost entirely on independent media posts. In 2026, there were over 2 million Haha reactions per month on independent media posts compared to just 7,000 on State-owned outlets. Adding these reactions to serious reporting is either dark humour or an attempt to troll, meaning harass or mock the media. It is intended to interfere with the media’s right to impart information without fear of harassment.

This trolling is most intense at the local level, where Haha reactions grew by +853%. Outlets with an anti-military editorial stance saw a +289% increase in these reactions, while it fell by -49% for pro-military media. This disparity indicates a coordinated effort to psychologically undermine the right to freedom of expression for the most vulnerable journalists operating in high-conflict zones, the report says.