"News travels fast via social media and people do not use their common sense; they must think twice before they post comment," Ko Nay Phone Latt told a community forum on the responsible use of social media at Yangon's MICT Park on July 20.

Referring to Facebook's agreement with the government to monitor the popular site in the aftermath of the violence in Mandalay early this month, he said he could understand the concern of the authorities.

"But I am equally concerned that in response the government might ban the use of social media," said Ko Nay Phone Latt, who is executive director of the Myanmar for ICT Development Organisation and founder of the anti-hate speech movement, Panzagar.

He said the purpose of the forum, also attended by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology U Myat Hein and representatives from Facebook, Google+, and Twitter, was to prevent future conflict arising from hate speech or rumours spread by social media.

The secretary of the Myanmar Computer Professionals Association, U Thaung Su Nyein, told the forum that 1.8 million people in Myanmar were using Facebook every day "and every one of them has the responsibility to use it wisely".

Other speakers at the forum said Myanmar's history of censorship and the speed at which people were adapting to internet technology had contributed to community problems associated with social media.

“People were without freedom of expression for so long that now they are very keen to express their feelings and this has led to problems because those who are unfamiliar with digital culture have rapidly gained access to the tools of social media,” said Ko Nyi Linn Sett, an IT specialist and blogger.

A senior official in the President's Office, who requested anonymity, told Mizzima on July 15 that Facebook had agreed to assign a member of staff who is fluent in Myanmar to monitor its Myanmar language posts for any violations of its terms and conditions.