Sri Lanka finally lifts social media ban nine days after terror attacks attacks, with it being unclear whether this ban helped prevent the spread of misinformation.
The president of Sri Lanka has ordered the termination of the temporary ban on social media. OR ban was set implemented after devastating suicide bombings on Sunday of Catholic Easter, which left more than 250 dead.
According to the New York Times, the government today issued a statement calling on the public "to use social media responsibly, even though the ban has been lifted due to the prevailing situation in the country."
Among the platforms that were blocked during the nine days was Facebook, the Instagram, WhatsApp and Viber. Even after the ban expires, it is not clear whether the restrictions helped contain the violence or curb the spread of misinformation.
Η Σρι Λάνκα δεν είναι η μόνη χώρα που μπλοκάρει τα κοινωνικά μέσα ενημέρωσης σε μια προσπάθεια να σταματήσει τις αναταραχές. Η "λογική" αυτή έχει ήδη δοκιμαστεί στη Λαϊκή Δημοκρατία του Κονγκό, in Iran and in Turkey. But, such bans raise the question of whether it is moral to limit every online speech in an attempt to stop extremists and misinformation.