No action for spreading religious hatred on Facebook

25 November 2012 07:52 am - 42 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (SLCERT) said that no concrete action could be taken against those who spread religious and racial hatred on Facebook despite efforts being taken to liaise with Facebook and curb posts conveying religious and racial hatred.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror spokesman for SLCERT Roshan Chandraguptha said that Facebook terms of use have prevented Lankan authorities from taking any action regarding this issue.

Declining media reports which suuggested that action is to be taken, Chandraguptha said that no such action could be taken under prevailing laws.

“We have liaised with the Facebook USA and brought this issue to their notice.However, they have intimated to us that their terms of use protects freedom of speech and due to this we have been prevented from taking any proper action,” he said.

SLCERT is the Centre for Cyber security in Sri Lanka, mandated to protect the nation's information infrastructure.

Police spokesman SSP Prishantha Jayakody said that all matters with regard to complaints of Facebook have been directed to the computer unit of the Police.

“The unit has been specially set up to look into these matters” he said.

Meanwhile a source at the “Tell the IGP” unit which handles these complaints said that they have received complaints regarding spreading of religious hatred and they are investigating the incidents.

Chandraguptha went on to state that SLCERT is yet to commence talks with regard to the issue with the Justice Ministry.

Many Facebook groups, posts and memes operated by Sri Lankans continue to spread religious hatred and extremism, going so far as to call for the expulsion of certain religious groups from the country.

Many observers believe that this is a disturbing trend especially among the youth of the country who are now moving towards religious chauvinism and spreading the message across a variety of social media of which Facebook is the pivotal point of communication.

Chandraguptha went on to state that SLCERT has received close to 750 complaints from users during the year.

The complaints have been mainly made on grounds of fake profiles been created, password hacking and posting of photographs. (Hafeel Farisz & Sanath Desmond)

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Comments - 42

zeylanicus Monday, 26 November 2012 05:35 AM

Do you think just because we boycott FB or blacklist FB or block FB, these un-wanted content will disappear?

weha Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:16 AM

Most of the posts are pretty sickening. I don't know why people are so paranoid. I once saw a post calling Ajinamoto a conspiracy by Musilms to kill the Buddhist in SL.
Wonder if those fellows even actually knew that it was some Japanese of Chinese ingredient in the first place.

Yaka Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:35 AM

Uneducated ??
Are you nuts? I have some friends who have graduated from University of Moratuwa (Engineering), Peradeniya and still posting such massages in facebook.
Unfriended few anyway, 'cause I don't like to see hate messages on my wall when I check facebook every morning.

man hatton Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:36 AM

muslims worldwilde to this business on fb.

man hatton Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:38 AM

Muslims worldwide do this business of FB, I have not seen anyone else so seriously complaining.

Nodrog Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:39 AM

What has further aggravated the issue is we also have political parties based on ethnicity and religion forcing people to vote for their religion or race.

DireStraits Monday, 26 November 2012 01:00 AM

It makes no difference. If its wrong then its wrong.

Asoka Karunaratne Monday, 26 November 2012 02:10 AM

It looks like mostly muslims have read this article

Maruwa Monday, 26 November 2012 02:13 AM

If you cant live nicely. Please get lost.Again Sri Lanka , is a Sinhala Buddhist country.

shihan Monday, 26 November 2012 05:32 AM

may be. but it does not stop you from saying that it my country too. as a citizen i have the right on my country. and i am proud.

MagodisThuma Monday, 26 November 2012 05:34 AM

Why do we need so many religions..??. I don't know how to select the best one !

Andy Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:12 AM

There are some very extremist sites on FB such as sorry.com, bodu bala sena, etc. where everyday they are posting hatred articles targeting other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. In whatever the way we should get a court order to stop these menace spreading across Sri Lanka.

azath Monday, 26 November 2012 08:36 AM

Read all the religion and judge yourself

Adil Monday, 26 November 2012 10:01 AM

That will never happen.

roshan Monday, 26 November 2012 10:45 AM

let see for how long..

saman Monday, 26 November 2012 11:21 AM

OK If so Let all the Tamil Buddhist, Malay and Marakkala Buddhist to revert to their original faith. That helps.

saman Monday, 26 November 2012 11:22 AM

No t o MAGODIS WEDA you need a faith.

Travis Monday, 26 November 2012 01:35 PM

What right is that my friend ??? right to Abuse and discriminate people of other races and Religions????

Tavis Monday, 26 November 2012 01:40 PM

Wow!!!! I believe that you are a Buddhist and believe in re-birth.

Lets hope that in your next birth that you'll be born a sinhala buddhist... not a muslim or a tamil.

Cos if you do.. my friend..... you will have to live NICELY.. like you just said.

Coming from Once a Sinhala buddhist.. but now only a srilankan Buddhist

Shihan Monday, 26 November 2012 03:45 PM

Wonderful reply my friend. simply wonderful

MagodisThuma Monday, 26 November 2012 04:51 PM

When faith starts... knowledge ends !

Althaf Marsoof Sunday, 25 November 2012 09:30 AM

Facebook Inc is an online service provider, and at most they would be only contributorily liable for the content of those who utilise Facebook's services. In the USA Facebook would be in any case protected under the exemption clauses incorporated in the Communications Decency Act. Therefore, there is no real direct cause of action against Facebook in the United States. However, there is a way out, if the authorities are able to instead work with Facebook. That is to get a court order ordering Facebook to disclose who are behind the particular webpage, and thereafter depending on where the persons behind such racial content reside, to file action against those persons seeking a permanent injunction against them from placing such material on Facebook, or any other online social media. Thus, the legal remedy is against the persons directly responsible for the posts.

mnsmart Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:15 AM

This is going to be a serious issue similar to the LTTE menace. we had enough & hope the authorities will find out a solution to curb this issue

HK Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:16 AM

In all religion there's is 5 % of stupid uneducated people who create racial ! Who create problems rest live peace n love

Ravi Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:19 AM

Is there any religious hatred our country??????

Dash Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:37 AM

They will do nothing because it is so obvious then the people of the country will focus on these issues not on the economy....

shihan Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:41 AM

Hats off SL authorities. A good step. please fast forward and protect religious harmony.

Lobo Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:47 AM

Will they resort to 'white van' action now?

Nodrog Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:49 AM

They are trying to infringe on peoples rights!

razmi Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:52 AM

main virus is Sorry.com
making unwanted trouble and misunderstanding between communities..
Appreciated if SL government can take action against such FB page in the sake of future of the country,

DXB Sunday, 25 November 2012 09:19 AM

True , all our schools are divided base on reliiogion , Hindu College / Muslim College / Budhist college , these names should be allowed only to the school which teaches religion and not academic subjects .

Gayan Sunday, 25 November 2012 09:24 AM

Let me recommend the Best Solution.
Lets Boycott FACEBOOK and blacklist FB in Sri Lanka.
This would go well with the FB terms of use to protects freedom of speech too. ha ha ha.

Fazli Sunday, 25 November 2012 08:12 AM

I think one way of preventing religious extremism in Sri Lanka is to provide amble opportunity for various religious deciples to get to know each other and their views from grass root level which can ideally start from school. Unfortunately we in Sri Lanka have devided schools on ethnic line which further isolates one and other !

Royalist Sunday, 25 November 2012 09:32 AM

100 % with you on that, Fazli. That is the way forward. In fact, the fact that many of our big schools had people of all faiths is one of the main reasons the country is still intact.

When religious / political leaders try to stir ethnic strife for their own survival, those of us who studied, played with children of all communities can see through their agenda.

The moment polarized thinking from any community sets in, that's the end. We should learn the grim lessons of other countries.

Alex Sunday, 25 November 2012 09:39 AM

Religious hatred is bad in every which way, but "FB" is the only place where people can bring out their thoughts and ideas without censorship, politicians in SL control every other media to promote their political propaganda ideology, now they eye on "FB" to either censor or shut it down to suit them.

Kumana Sunday, 25 November 2012 09:59 AM

No person is racist, maniac and extreme than Muslims anywhere in the world.

unchikun Sunday, 25 November 2012 10:16 AM

A very simple solution, be an atheist.

unchikun Sunday, 25 November 2012 10:21 AM

Facebook is governed by free speech. if anyone is against this principle do not use it or look at the web site.

shihan Sunday, 25 November 2012 10:49 AM

Ath pawra is another page bif virus creating page in Facebook that attacks Muslim owned businesses and affecting our economy.

Huna Sunday, 25 November 2012 10:56 AM

Block FB in SL before its too late

Rahu Sunday, 25 November 2012 10:56 AM

Shtudown in Srilanka too. Like a china

rise Sunday, 25 November 2012 11:09 AM

Good start after reading the comments , but will take another 100 years before every one will respect each other in SL with religious view. Never too late ,

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No action for spreading religious hatred on Facebook

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