Overview

• John Moe The, a 21-year-old TikTok astrologer, was arrested on April 22 for allegedly spreading false information that incited public panic.
• His April 9 video predicting a powerful earthquake on April 21 garnered over 3.3 million views and led some Yangon residents to flee high-rise buildings.
• The prediction followed a devastating March 28 earthquake in central Myanmar that killed around 3,500 people and displaced 60,000 others.
• Seismologists reaffirm that precise earthquake predictions are scientifically impossible, contrasting with the cultural influence of astrology in Myanmar.
• Myanmar's military government maintains strict control over public discourse and has vowed to act against the spread of misinformation.