Sri Lanka Police have warned the public against spreading unverified information on social media after a viral image circulated purporting to show a dead man on a motorcycle beneath the Kohuwala Bridge.
Police said the circulation of false information, misinformation and content capable of inciting violence can cause serious harm to society and may constitute a punishable offence under Sri Lankan law.
Officers warned that individuals who deliberately spread fake news with the intention of creating public unrest could face legal action under the Penal Code and the Computer Crimes Act.
‘Check, verify, share responsibly’
Authorities urged social media users to establish the authenticity of such content before passing it on, setting out three basic steps: check, verify and share responsibly.
Users were asked to check whether the original source is genuine and to confirm information through trusted and official news outlets before sharing it with others.
The public was urged not to circulate unverified material, particularly content relating to incidents that could cause fear or public alarm.
Police did not say whether the image had been digitally manipulated, taken from an unrelated incident or staged, and did not indicate whether an investigation had been opened into its origin.
The warning is one of several the force has issued this year over material circulating on messaging apps and social platforms, as officers deal with the practical difficulty of correcting a claim after it has already spread widely.
