Sri Lanka Easter bombings: Debating the social media clampdown

Was the social media ban after the Easter bombings necessary? Plus, yellow vest protesters tussle with French media.

To block or not? Debating Sri Lanka's social media clampdown

The multiple church and hotel bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, which killed an estimated 253 people, represented the worst violence the country has seen since the end of the civil war a decade ago.

In the immediate aftermath, the government shut off access to social media - Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Viber. The rationale? To stem the spread of hate speech and misinformation.

There's a complex debate to be had, however, on the benefits of a social media shutdown versus the costs.