According to the digital rights group NetBlocks, Sri Lanka blocked Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, Viber, WhatsApp and YouTube following the Easter bombings targeting churches and hotels. And people need social media platforms to obtain accurate information & to contact loved ones,” tweeted Allie Funk, a researcher with the human rights group Freedom House. “We need more nuanced solutions.”Prior research has indicated that internet and social media blackouts may lead to more, not less, violence. The missteps of social media, however, have put governments on alert and sparked efforts to control information flows. “I’d like to see us get to a place where a shutdown isn’t necessary, but the social media platforms need to rebuild public trust.” – AFP

Source: The Star April 23, 2019 10:07 UTC