Will never condone 'useless' blocking of social media because...: Sri Lankan minister amid crisis

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa said he was opposed to the social media ban in the country and called on the government, headed by his father and uncle, to reconsider the move.

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa said he was opposed to the social media blackout imposed in the country amid widespread protests against the government’s mismanagement of the economic crisis.

The blocking of social networking sites notwithstanding, Namal Rajapaksa took to Twitter to suggest virtual private network (VPN) as a workaround, while calling on the government -- headed by his uncle Gotabaya Rajapaksa (the president) and father Mahinda Rajapaksa (the prime minister) -- to lift the ban on social media platforms.

“I will never condone the blocking of social media. The availability of VPN, just like I’m using now, makes such bans completely useless. I urge the authorities to think more progressively and reconsider this decision,” he tweeted.

I will never condone the blocking of social media. The availability of VPN, just like I’m using now, makes such bans completely useless. I urge the authorities to think more progressively and reconsider this decision. #SocialMediaBanLK #SriLanka #lka

READ: Crisis-hit Sri Lanka imposes curfew, social media blackout amid calls for mass protests | Top Points