Govt. clarifies stance on regulating social media
Says considering registering foreign digital operators
COLOMBO – The Sri Lankan government on Monday (21) clarified news reports on plans to ‘register’ social media users, deeming the reports ‘garbled’ and stating it is considering registering foreign digital operators and not social media and digital platform users.
Minister of Mass Media, Keheliya Rambukwella, in a statement issued on Monday, claimed the media reports regarding the planned ‘regulation’ was garbled, and clarified the government’s intention was not to register social media users but to convey a mounting concern about digital multinational conglomerates overwhelming and alienating the local businesses by data colonization.
Noting, this was a shared by governments across the world, he said such practises directly impact the medium scale companies in Sri Lanka, and that it was a view also shared by leading industrialists in the country.
“These predatory techniques lead to huge sums of money leaving the country through these digital platforms,” he said, explain that it was in this context the government has been considering registering foreign digital operators and not social media and digital platform users.
Several local print and electronic media reported on Sunday (20) that Rambukwella had told reporters his ministry was looking at steps to be taken to register social media users in Sri Lanka.
Video recordings backing the reports indicate the minister clearly stating social media users, including Facebook users, in Sri Lanka will be among those “registered” by the government, He is also heard saying this was being done in a move to curb misinformation and disinformation spread in Sri Lanka using Facebook.
-ENCL