The social media ban in the wake of the Easter attacks reflected global concern about the role the networks play in spreading hate speech and inciting communal violence.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s president on Tuesday called for the “immediate” lifting of a temporary ban on several social media networks, a clampdown that had been intended to prevent the spread of misinformation after devastating suicide bombings on Easter.
The restrictions, which were put into place quickly after attacks at three churches and three high-end hotels killed more than 250 people in Sri Lanka, reflected increasing global concern about the role that American-owned networks play in spreading hate speech and inciting communal violence.
The government’s statement on Tuesday called on the public “to use social media responsibly even though the ban is lifted, due to the prevailing situation in the country.” According to internet monitoring groups, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Viber were among those affected.
The decision to block networks was not new in Sri Lanka, which has a complicated history with social media. Last year, the government briefly restricted some platforms after rumors that spread largely on Facebook appeared to instigate a wave of anti-Muslim riots and lynchings.
But the government’s broad shutdown of social media immediately after the Easter attacks, which were tied to eight attackers linked to a local affiliate of the Islamic State, was unusual.
