August 27, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Railways has introduced stricter controls on employees’ use of social media while on duty, following concerns over the disclosure of operational and internal information online.
A new circular has been issued after railway authorities identified instances in which certain employees were reportedly sharing details relating to railway activities through social media platforms during working hours.
Under the directive, railway personnel are barred from using social media to disseminate information concerning train operations, internal administrative decisions or official documents while at workplaces including train control centres, engine control rooms, workshops and other railway facilities.
The department said the restrictions are intended to safeguard information that could affect railway operations and to prevent unauthorised material from reaching the public without proper verification.
The circular also makes clear that employees are not permitted to act as unofficial sources when responding to enquiries from journalists or other outside parties.
Responsibility for releasing official information has been limited to three designated authorities: the General Manager of Railways, the department’s official spokesperson and the Information Officer.
The move is expected to bring greater control over the flow of information from within the railway service, particularly as social media has increasingly become a source of real-time updates on delays, disruptions and operational developments.
Railway officials have also stressed the importance of ensuring that information relating to the department is communicated through authorised channels, reducing the risk of inaccurate, incomplete or sensitive material being circulated publicly.
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