A Sri Lankan social media figure, Geeth Sooriyapura, is drawing attention after claims emerged that he earned £230,000 running Facebook pages filled with anti-migrant and Islamophobic content aimed at the UK.
According to reports, Sooriyapura, along with a group of students he teaches, operates more than 100 pages spreading disinformation, including false assertions that the Labour Party is controlled by Muslims and that council housing in London is reserved exclusively for Muslim residents.
Teaching the Dark Arts of Facebook Monetisation
Sooriyapura isn’t just posting this content—he’s monetising it.
He runs an online “academy,” where he instructs students on how to set up Facebook pages that generate ad revenue.
In video tutorials, he encourages targeting older audiences, claiming they are more likely to hold anti-immigrant views.
Each page, he explains, can become a lucrative business; some reportedly earn over £1,000 a month, which amounts to roughly three times the average monthly salary in Sri Lanka.
A Lifestyle on Display
The influencer makes no attempt to hide his success.
His Instagram features images of luxury watches, five-star dining, and a swanky apartment complete with a pool.
His bio proudly labels him a “Facebook monetisation expert” with over 2,500 students worldwide.
This online persona paints a picture of prosperity achieved through a combination of controversial content and social media know-how.
Fake News and Conspiracy Theories Targeting Britain
The pages linked to Sooriyapura, allegedly numbering 128, collectively reach around 1.6 million users.
Many of them push fake news and conspiracy theories, sometimes illustrated with AI-generated images.
Examples include claims that London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan promised council homes exclusively for Muslims and fabricated videos showing politicians in compromising situations.
Other posts suggest Muslims are indifferent to sexual violence or suicide attacks and portray migrants as invaders, fueling xenophobia and racial tensions.
Sooriyapura Responds to Allegations
When questioned by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Sooriyapura insisted he is misunderstood.
“We don’t encourage to spread violence,” he said.
“We just educate people on Facebook monetuzation and audience targeting… students target audiences of their own interests.”
He denied responsibility for the content of the pages, questioning how anyone could confirm he managed 128 accounts.
Authorities and Experts Raise Concerns
A spokesman for Sir Sadiq Khan condemned the spread of false and racist online content, warning that it can inflame prejudice and hatred.
Meanwhile, experts highlight that AI technology is making disinformation even more potent, enabling realistic deepfakes and highly convincing fake news to proliferate at scale.
Social media companies, they say, need to act faster to curb the spread of harmful material.
Facebook’s Response
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, confirmed that it removed pages found to violate rules against inauthentic behavior.
The company emphasised the importance of safeguarding users against coordinated campaigns that mislead and manipulate audiences.
The Broader Implications
The case of Sooriyapura underscores a growing challenge: the monetisation of social media combined with politically charged misinformation.
It’s a reminder that behind the glossy lifestyle posts and “expert tutorials,” there can be a web of content that has real-world consequences, sowing division and mistrust across communities.
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