President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he would curb the use of social media in the country, if the platforms don’t make greater moves to self-regulate.

Addressing a ceremony to open a new courts complex at Welisara, President Sirisena said there were many other countries in the world that had banned social media.

He said it was necessary to take such a drastic measure to contain illegal and anti-nationalist activities being conducted through that medium.

The President said he had discussed with high-ranking US experts attached to a global institution the potency of social media and how it affects nations.

He said that he had told the US experts that he would be compelled to curb social media if the platforms themselves failed to self-regulate.

The President also said that he was the most maligned figure on social media in Sri Lanka and such a thing would not have been possible during the former regime.