The government plans to amend the Online Safety Bill once a new Parliament is formed, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath announced today. Speaking to the media, Minister Herath explained that discussions will be held to determine whether amendments to the existing bill are sufficient or if an entirely new bill should be introduced.
The Online Safety Bill, published in the Sri Lankan Government Gazette in September 2023, was passed by Parliament in January 2024 with majority support. However, the Opposition argued that proposed amendments did not align with the Supreme Court’s determination, which later ruled that several provisions of the bill were inconsistent with the Constitution.
In response, the government agreed in October to revise the bill according to the Supreme Court’s findings announced on November 7, 2023. The bill’s primary goals include establishing an Online Safety Commission, prohibiting the online dissemination of certain factual statements, preventing misuse of online accounts, identifying sites used for prohibited activities, and curbing the financing of false information.
