The Online Safety (Amendment) Bill has been published via a Government Gazette.
Sri Lanka’s controversial Online Safety Bill was initially published in the Sri Lankan Government Gazette in September 2023 after which the Supreme Court determined that the several Online Safety Bill provisions were not consistent with the Constitution.
In October last year, the government agreed to revise the Bill in accordance with the Supreme Court’s determinations announced on November 07, 2023.
Key objectives of the bill include establishing the Online Safety Commission, making provisions to prohibit online communication of certain statements of fact in Sri Lanka, preventing the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for prohibited purposes, making provisions to identify and declare online locations used for prohibited purposes in Sri Lanka, and to suppress the financing and other support of communication of false statements of fact.
Upon it being gazetted, at least 45 petitions were filed at the Supreme Court challenging the Bill, with many raising concerns that it violates the fundamental rights of the public.
Following the objections, the government agreed to revise the bill in accordance with the Supreme Court’s determination, and the Cabinet also approved steps for several amendments.
At the time, the government said proposals had been received from relevant industry professionals regarding the Online Safety Act and that the amendments to the Online Safety Act would be made based on the proposals.
The Cabinet had approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Public Security to direct the Legal Draftsmen to prepare a draft bill for amending the Online Safety Act based on revisions recognized through further discussions with eminencies in the field who had forwarded proposals for relevant amendments.
Accordingly, the government has amended the Online Safety Act and published it via a Gazette notification dated 31 July 2024. (Newswire)
