Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament today that the government is stepping up efforts to combat hate speech, ethnic incitement, terrorism-related content, and other illegal activities spread through social media. He also announced that amendments to the Online Safety Act of 2024 are currently being drafted.
Wijepala said authorities are collaborating with major social media companies to curb harmful content and remove posts that violate Sri Lankan law. Platforms including Meta, TikTok, and Telegram have provided a direct contact channel for Sri Lanka to report hate speech, ethnic incitement, and unlawful activities.
The Minister outlined the legal framework currently used to address online offences:
Section 6 of the Computer Crimes Act (No. 24 of 2007) for hate speech on social media.
Section 126 of the Penal Code for content inciting ethnic riots or unrest.
Criminal proceedings for other offences where applicable.
He confirmed that police are obtaining information from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to identify offenders and that a hotline (132) is available for public complaints relating to online crimes.
A special committee, chaired by Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, has been appointed to recommend updates to the Online Safety Act. The committee includes representatives from several ministries — including Justice, Public Security, Parliamentary Affairs, Mass Media, Health, and Digital Economic Affairs — as well as the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the Legal Draftsman, and the police.
Public feedback has been invited through newspaper notices, Wijepala said, adding that intelligence agencies are already using information received from social media companies to take action. The CID Computer Crimes Division and SLCERT are actively engaged in monitoring and response.
