We are now living in world of increasing connectivity. This connectivity brings opportunities as well as challenges. One of the overarching challenges is our safety during online activities. Nowadays, we are seeing increasing hate speech, fake news, and other harmful materials on the internet. In this talk, Min Thu Aung analyzes the issue of online safety in the context of Myanmar and explores the ways in which we can tackle the problem. Min Thu Aung leads the Business Sustainability and Special Projects team at Telenor in Myanmar. Since 2016, he has been leading a program that has educated over 300,000 youth in Myanmar in being responsible digital citizens on social media, with a focus on tackling the pervasive issue of hate speech. Prior to this, Min led a microfinance institution in Myanmar focusing on financial inclusion and was a management consultant in the UK before his return to Myanmar in 2013.

As a son of two expatriate Myanmar doctors, he was educated in the culturally diverse environments of Malaysia and the UK, where he personally witnessed how diversity can drive sustainable, socioeconomic growth and social harmony. He believes that empowering future generations of Myanmar’s youth to appreciate diversity as responsible digital citizens and to refrain from hate speech on Myanmar’s social media platforms will aid Myanmar in its ongoing reintegration into the global community following decades of isolation.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx