Ground Rules of Using Social Media for Sri Lankans

I have had the privilege of managing social media foI have had the unique privilege of managing social media for a prominent Christian church based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, over the past four years. This opportunity not only allowed me to serve in a meaningful capacity but also granted me firsthand insight into how social media is used by people—especially Sri Lankans—from various walks of life. Through regular interactions, content creation, audience engagement, and trend analysis, I was able to form a well-rounded understanding of user behavior, cultural nuances, and common pitfalls that often go unnoticed. These years of experience led me to formulate a set of principles that I like to call ground rules for using social media. These rules are not just theoretical but are derived from real-world interactions and long-term observations. They are intended to help users—both individuals and organizations—navigate the social media space with integrity, purpose, and effectiveness. Currently, there are over 200 recognized social media platforms globally, but only seven stand out as major players: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter (now X), Snapchat, and Pinterest. While global users often engage across all these platforms, the social media landscape in Sri Lanka is more streamlined. Most Sri Lankans primarily use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for everything from news consumption to personal expression and entertainment. Therefore, the ground rules I am about to outline are designed with a strong focus on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube—platforms where Sri Lankan engagement is at its highest. These guidelines are aimed at promoting thoughtful, responsible, and meaningful use of these platforms, especially within our local context.

It’s a fact that social media is a very powerful platform. Its power can be harnessed as a tool of construction or a weapon of destruction. The “For once, Don’t Do It” campaign by Nike, Inc. is a convincing example of harnessing the power of Social media as a tool for building up. The campaign, which was initiated in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, urged people to stand up to racism. Then we watched Donald Trump harnessing that power as a weapon of destruction breaking out a violent insurrection at the United States Capitol Hill that claimed four lives.

Social media is so powerful anything we post can go viral in a matter of minutes if not seconds. Cool! Isn’t it? The problem is we cannot control what goes viral and what doesn’t. Sometimes even the content we post with the best intentions in mind can bring disaster into somebody else’s life (even yours). It’s the reason why we have the first ground rule. “Think Twice Before Posting Once” – What does it mean? First, ask yourself the question “Is this post constructive?” If the answer is yes then you need to ask the second question. “Is this post destructive?” This time if the answer is no then go ahead and post it.

By reacting I mean responding to social media posts with a Like – Love – Haha – Wow – Sad and Angry or posting a comment. These features make using Social media fun and Social. Without them, it will be just Media and not Social. Unfortunately, we are ignorant when expressing ourselves sometimes; The way people reacted to Dilini Yehansa’s murder on social media is a good example of this. Initially, people used reactions such as “sad” and “angry” to express their feelings. They posted comments demanding justice for the victim. However, when social media reported that law enforcement discovered she had an affair with her murderer, people began responding with reactions like “Haha”. In the comments, they wrote things like “The whore deserved it” or “The slut had it coming”

It’s very bad they didn’t care Dilini’s bereaved family will be even more devastated by these responses on Social media. They behaved in a very insensitive manner when it was learned she had an affair. I have seen people can be incredibly insensitive when responding to similar reports on social media. Hence the second ground rule. “Think Twice Before Reacting Once” – What does it mean? First, ask yourself, “Is my reaction or comment an appropriate response to this post?” If the answer is yes, then ask yourself the second question. “Will this be my response if the news was concerning someone I care about?” If your answer is no then hold back your response.

The majority of us nowadays rely on social media rather than more traditional media platforms to obtain news. As a participatory platform that allows for user-generated content, and a news source social media lets us interact with news in a variety of ways, including the ability to “share” or “repost” news. It’s awesome, but it’s also the source of a major issue. User-generated, inaccurate news and fabricated stories! Hence the third and final ground rule. “Think Twice Before Sharing Once” – What does it mean? First, read the whole story before sharing. Publishers of inaccurate news and fabricated stories are aware that social media users often read only the title before sharing the story. As a result, they create misleading titles that entice readers to share the content.

For example, on 18th March 2021, Asian Mirror published a link to a story on their website on Facebook. The story was titled “කට වහගෙන රටේ නීතියට ගරු කරන්න: මන්ත්‍රී මුජිබර් ඉදිරියේ අජිත් රෝහණ කී කතාව” – “Shut Up and Obey the Law of the Country: Ajith Rohana’s Statement in the Presence of Minister Mujibur” is the literal English translation. (See the Facebook post here). The post was accompanied by a photograph of Minister Mujibur Rahuman sitting like a child before his headmaster next to Sri Lanka Police Spokesman DIG Mr Ajith Rohana. Asian Mirror had crafted the title and the image in a very subtle manner to imply that DIG Ajith rebuked the minister. It wasn’t until I finished reading the story that I realized the spokesman had simply quoted Plato! (According to the video, he did it very politely.) You can read the full story or watch the footage here.

Second, once you read the whole story verify its credibility by cross-referencing. A few months ago, a YouTuber interviewed Professor Meththika Vithanage who maintained people who die from COVID-19 must be cremated and not buried according to the World Health Organization. The interview was titled “කොරෝනා මිනී වළලන්න අවසර නෑ. ඊළග වසංගතය පොළොව බිදිගෙන ඒවී ” (It is not permissible to bury the bodies of COVID 19 victims. The next wave will burst through the earth.) You can watch that video here. When I cross-referenced her claims with the WHO website, I realized COVID-19 victims can be buried or cremated. Later on, other experts like Dr Althaf Marsoof refuted her position on the issue in the article here. I don’t intend to judge Professor Vithanage although she said a different story sometime later. However, it’s not an issue we can take lightly because the post went viral on Social Media. On Facebook, it has been shared 5.6K times and received 3.2K reactions and 767 comments. On YouTube, it has received 55,534 views. While the truth arrives much later lies spread very quickly. Therefore, always cross-check a story before sharing. There are many websites to help you with this but my favourites are FactCheck.LK and FactCheck.ORG.

Wrap Up

Someone once said, “Social Media is the Future,” and I wholeheartedly agree. In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, social media isn’t just influencing the future—it’s actively shaping it at an unprecedented speed. From how we communicate with friends and family to how we conduct business, access information, or promote causes, social media has become an inseparable part of daily life. It has revolutionized entire industries, transformed political landscapes, and redefined the way we present ourselves to the world. Yet, with great power comes great responsibility. The same platforms that connect and inspire us also have the potential to divide, deceive, or damage when misused. Inappropriate content, misinformation, and the constant pressure to compare ourselves with others can take a toll on mental health and relationships. Social media can be a tool for great good—or great harm—depending entirely on how we use it. That’s why the ground rules I shared earlier are more than just helpful suggestions—they’re necessary guidelines for navigating this space wisely. They provide clarity in a digital world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming. Whether you use social media for personal expression, professional branding, or community engagement, these rules serve as a moral compass to ensure your actions online are intentional, respectful, and beneficial. Ultimately, the way we use social media today will shape our future. If we want that future to be one of connection, integrity, and purpose, we must learn to engage with these platforms thoughtfully and responsibly—always aware that every post, comment, and share leaves a lasting impact.

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