Sri Lankan Parliament Passes Online Content Regulation Bill

The Sri Lankan Parliament has passed a resolution into law yesterday which allows government regulation of internet use by citizens. Some rights groups in the country have expressed concern over potential restrictions on free speech.

The bill, titled the “Online Safety Bill,” passed with 108 votes for, and 62 against. The bill is intended to “make provisions to prohibit online communication of certain statements of fact in Sri Lanka,” and to “prevent the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for prohibited purposes.”

The resolution has also included the creation of an “Online Safety Commission,” which will operate under the direction of 5 members who are selected by the President of Sri Lanka. These members are to be put in place to issue orders to people who “communicate prohibited statements” to cease sending the type of messages they had been sending.

The government of Sri Lanka has claimed that these changes will help to curb online abuse, but the law has made it possible for the state to restrict the free speech of citizens, including preventing criticism of the government from spreading online.

The Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch Asia stated that, “Sri Lanka is still reeling from an economic crisis partly caused by misgovernment and failures of accountability.” The new change in the law has drawn heavy criticism, as the government does not have the full trust of the people to enact meaningful change following the previous administrations actions.

The UN Human Rights Office also spoke out against the bill in October, last year.