The government on Wednesday moved quickly to refute rumours that it was planning to block some social media platforms.
The Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Heena Waleed in a post in X insisted that such claims are entirely false and the government has made no decisions to block any social media platforms, nor has it engaged in any discussions regarding the issue.
“It is disheartening to see the spread of misinformation on social media regarding the potential blocking of certain social media platforms,” Heena said.
She also reaffirmed that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu remains steadfast in promoting and safeguarding the constitutional rights and freedoms of the Maldivian people.
In addition to the Spokesperson, Ministry of Homeland, Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan has also denied the claims, insisting that the government will not restrict freedom of expression.
"There are some claims that we [government] is going to ban some platforms like X and TikTok. That is not something this government will do at all. Instead this is a government that will promote and encourage expression through such platforms,” the Minister said.
This Administration since assuming office in November 2023, has moved towards building a creative economy by encouraging artists and facilitating avenues to enable them to earn a living through their creativity.