The Sri Lankan government’s decision to shutter access to social-media sites after Sunday’s deadly bombings may mark a turning point in how countries around the world perceive Silicon Valley -- and their willingness act to stop the spread of falsehoods online.
The Easter morning bomb blasts that killed 290 in Sri Lanka also illustrated the world's growing discontent with social media.
Authoritarian-leaning countries have long worked to rein in social media when it challenged their ability to control information. But over the last year, more democratic governments have started to target social-media sites, considering new regulations to stamp out disinformation during elections and to prevent their use as rallying points for hatred and extremism.
“The shutdown keeps communication from accelerating misinformation and organizing attacks," he said."Essentially the shut down might slow things down so authorities can get a handle on what’s happening before violence spins out of control.” But the desire to regulate social media has gained global appeal, even in countries with strong protections for free expression, due to Silicon Valley’s recent missteps. Meddling by Russian agents on Facebook and Twitter helped divide the public during the 2016 presidential election and Europe’s Brexit campaign. Automated accounts, or bots, falsely amplified online campaigns in an attempt to sow discord around sensitive political topics.
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