Online Safety Bill (Sri Lanka)

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The Online Safety Bill is a Sri Lankan Internet safety bill aimed at regulating its citizens' Internet usage. It was announced in September 2023 and passed by Parliament on 24 January 2024 by a 108–62 vote.

The bill has been criticised by human rights groups, journalists and opposition politicians as a means of stifling freedom of speech.[1][2][3]

Provisions[edit]

The bill aims to "make provisions to prohibit online communication of certain statements of fact in Sri Lanka" and "prevent the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for prohibited purposes."[3] It proposes making the posting of content that is deemed "illegal" by a five-member commission, the Online Safety Commission, punishable by jail time.[4] It also makes social media platforms such as Facebook, Google and Twitter liable for such content.[2]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the bill was intended to combat cybercrime, including data theft, child abuse and online fraud.[4] According to Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, 8,000 instances of cybercrime were logged in Sri Lanka in 2023.[4][2]

Reception[edit]

The bill has resulted in concerns that the government is attempting to suppress freedom of speech.[1][2] Following the passage of the bill, a group of activists and opposition members protested outside the Parliament Building.[4]

Domestic[edit]

Opposition politician Rauff Hakeem said the bill was "a manifestation of a government which is trying to dismantle even the remaining few safeguards for freedom of expression in this country and to destroy democracy."[1] Samagi Jana Balawegaya politician Harsha de Silva called the bill "a threat to our democracy", saying that it would have "a severe negative impact on expanding e-commerce in Sri Lanka, to provide jobs to our youth and help our economy, which is in desperate need of growth."[2][4]

Alles said the bill's intent was "not to suppress the media or the opposition", adding, "Any complaint will be taken up by the commission, who will be appointed by the president and they will decide how to act."[4][2]

International[edit]

The Asia Internet Coalition opposed the bill when it was announced in September 2023, with managing director Jeff Paine saying, "the bill provides for a draconian system to stifle dissent and Sri Lankans' rights to expression."[3] Human Rights Watch also criticised the bill, saying the Online Safety Commission would be able to arbitrarily decide "what online speech is 'false' or 'harmful', remove content, restrict and prohibit internet access, and prosecute individuals and organizations".[4]

Julie Chung, the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, expressed concern about the potential impact of the bill.[5] Russian ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan said the bill was purely an internal matter for Sri Lanka.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Mallawarachi, Bharatha (2024-01-23). "Sri Lankan lawmakers debate controversial internet safety bill amid protests by rights groups". Associated Press. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Jayasinghe, Uditha (January 24, 2024). "Sri Lanka passes new law to regulate online content". Reuters. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Mogul, Rhea (2024-01-25). "Sri Lanka passes controversial bill to regulate online content | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Sri Lanka Parliament passes bill to regulate online content". Al Jazeera. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  5. ^ a b "Russia backs Sri Lankan government over Online Safety Bill; calls matter purely internal". The New Indian Express. 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
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