The government of Sri Lanka briefly blocked social media as protests erupted across the nation due to shortages of fuel and food. All major social media websites were blocked by the government on early morning Sunday following a nationwide curfew announced on Saturday and a state of emergency declared Friday. Affected websites included Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and messaging apps like WhatsApp. Jayantha de Silva, Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, told Reuters that the block was temporary and was implemented due to “special instructions” given by the defense ministry. It was imposed “in the interests” of the country for people to “maintain calm,” he added. The government lifted the blockade by Sunday afternoon after approximately 16 hours, allowing citizens to resume connecting through social media. The move came under heavy criticism. “I will never condone the blocking of social media,” Namal Rajapaksa, the Minister for Youth and Sports and the …