J&K govt lifts month-long ban on social media in Kashmir

A month-long ban on 22 social media sites and applications in Kashmir was lifted by the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department today.Access to the banned social media sites was restored around 8.30 pm, an official said.

Jammu and Kashmir Home Department had on April 26 banned 22 social media sites and applications, including Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, in an attempt to curb the street protests in the Valley.

However, the ban had little meaning as users accessed the banned sites through virtual private networks. The ban was imposed from April 26 to prevent the spread of rumours in the Valley which has been witness to escalating violence.

The northern state of Jammu Kashmir had been experiencing tense summer so far with several incidents of violence, with several clashes between security forces and stone pelting protestors.