Colombo (News1st): Sri Lanka’s mass media minister has said that a plan has been formulated to register local users of all social media platforms including Facebook to curb “inappropriate content”.

“We tried self-regulation. There is a discussion on the matter tomorrow. I feel the time has come to act rather than discuss,” Keheliya Rambukwella told media on Sunday.

He insisted that social media needs to be regulated to curb inappropriate digital content in the country.

The tally of Sri Lanka’s social media users had stood at around 6.4 million by January 2020, according to DataReportal that compiles statistics on social media platforms.

Last month, global internet companies Facebook, Google, and Twitter had threatened to leave Sri Lanka’s South Asian neighbour Pakistan for vesting powers with local regulators to censor digital content.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has granted the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority the power to remove and block digital content that poses “harms, intimidates or excites disaffection” toward the government.

The tech firms have declared that they have been “alarmed” by the scope of Pakistan’s new law targeting internet firms.

• Law must apply equally to all economic criminals: Dr. Harsha de Silva
• Reports of salary cuts for State Employees false – State Minister Siyambalapitiya
• Power cuts approved for Monday (3)
• Red alert issued for strong winds & rough seas
• Tax imposed on raw materials for sanitary napkins, waived