APD | Sri Lanka requests Facebook to remove election advertisements

By APD writer Easwaran

Sri Lanka's National Elections Commission, on Wednesday, requested Facebook to remove sponsored pages and paid election related advertisements as the country prepares for a hotly contested Presidential election.

National Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said that they have noted a number of sponsored pages on Facebook linked to some candidates contesting the 16 November election.

Deshapriya said that there are also several paid advertisements appearing on Facebook.

He told reporters that the National Elections Commission has requested Facebook pull down the advertisements and sponsored pages.

Deshapriya said that they do not expect Facebook to act immediately as it is a slow process.

However, he said the Commission hopes the Facebook pages and advertisements linked to the election will be removed after the time period allocated for campaigning ends before 16 November.

Social media is playing a large role in the election which will see a tight battle between former Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and ruling United National Party candidate Sajith Premadasa.

Rajapaksa is seen as pro-Chinese who played a crucial role to ensure Tamil Tigerrebels who fought a 30 year war were defeated in May 2009.

Premadasa is the son of former Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa and is promoted by his opponents as being pro-American, a claim he denies.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)