In April 2019, the Sri Lankan government cut off social media access in the wake of a fatal terrorist attack. According to an Ipsos survey conducted a month later, a total of 59 percent of respondents from various countries stated that they would support a temporary social media ban during a massive terrorist attack in their country to stop the flow of fake news. Internet users in India were most likely to agree with this statement, as 85 percent of respondents from the country strongly or somewhat agreed. Saudi Arabia was ranked second with a 77 percent agreement rate.
Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don't knows or not stated responses.
Original question: "For each of the following please indicate if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree: If there was a massive terrorist attack in my country I would support a temporary social media ban to stop the flow of fake news."
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Ipsos. (August 2, 2019). Internet users who support a temporary social media ban to stop the spread of fake news during a massive terrorist attack as of June 2019, by country [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 26, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038949/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-ban-to-stop-fake-news-during-crises/
Ipsos. "Internet users who support a temporary social media ban to stop the spread of fake news during a massive terrorist attack as of June 2019, by country." Chart. August 2, 2019. Statista. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038949/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-ban-to-stop-fake-news-during-crises/
Ipsos. (2019). Internet users who support a temporary social media ban to stop the spread of fake news during a massive terrorist attack as of June 2019, by country. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 26, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038949/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-ban-to-stop-fake-news-during-crises/
Ipsos. "Internet Users Who Support a Temporary Social Media Ban to Stop The Spread of Fake News during a Massive Terrorist Attack as of June 2019, by Country." Statista, Statista Inc., 2 Aug 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038949/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-ban-to-stop-fake-news-during-crises/
Ipsos, Internet users who support a temporary social media ban to stop the spread of fake news during a massive terrorist attack as of June 2019, by country Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038949/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-ban-to-stop-fake-news-during-crises/ (last visited June 26, 2025)
Internet users who support a temporary social media ban to stop the spread of fake news during a massive terrorist attack as of June 2019, by country [Graph], Ipsos, August 2, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1038949/worldwide-internet-users-social-media-ban-to-stop-fake-news-during-crises/
