Sri Lanka social media shutdown raises fears on free expression


  • TECH
  • Tuesday, 23 Apr 2019

TOPSHOT - A Sri Lankan man stands still during moments of silence outside St Anthony's Shrine two days after it was attacked as part of a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and hotels, in Colombo on April 23, 2019. - Sri Lanka fell silent for three minutes April 23 on a day of national mourning to honour more than 300 people killed in suicide bomb blasts that have been blamed on a local Islamist group. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)

WASHINGTON: Sri Lanka’s decision to block social media following deadly suicide attacks highlights a growing distrust of online platforms, but critics said the move is likely to restrict the flow of important news and information as well as abusive content. 

The move comes amid growing frustration by governments around the world with Internet platforms over the propagation of misinformation and incitements of violence. 

Celebrate Merdeka with 50% Off!
T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM6.95 only

Billed as RM6.95 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month
RM6.17/month

Billed as RM78 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters.

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Tech News

AI-powered robots could mean job losses on farms and in construction
Video games bad? You might need to switch your opinion, study shows
Indie developer emptyvessel reveals squad-based cyberpunk shooter ‘Defect’
Preview: ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ is the Han Solo simulator fans always wanted
Are you fact-checking your Facebook feed?
We train AI. AI might be training us, too, US researchers find
A 'true crime' video about a man’s 'secret affair' with his murderous stepson is going viral. It’s fake
Dubai nightclub scam: Tinder 'dates' vanish after leaving men with the bill
California issues draft regulations for operating autonomous trucks
OpenAI names political veteran Lehane as head of global policy, NYT reports

Others Also Read