Online safety & content laws in Sri Lanka (2026)
Online safety rules in Sri Lanka: partial.
Sri Lanka enacted the Online Safety Act (OSA) on 24 January 2024, establishing a presidentially appointed Online Safety Commission with broad powers to define prohibited statements, order content removal, and hold platforms liable for user-generated content. The law is in force but widely criticised for vague definitions and potential misuse against free expression; as of early 2025 the NPP government committed to amending rather than repealing it, appointing a Supreme Court-chaired multi-sectoral committee to draft reforms. No dedicated age-verification or algorithmic-transparency regime exists, placing the framework below the comprehensiveness of EU DSA or UK OSA standards.
Legal framework
Online Safety Act, No. 9 of 2024; Online Safety Commission (presidentially appointed); Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022 (complementary)
Key points: internet & online safety in Sri Lanka
Online Safety Act in force
OSA No. 9 of 2024 passed Parliament on 24 January 2024 by a 108-62 vote and entered into force, making it Sri Lanka's primary online content-regulation statute. It prohibits 'false statements,' online fraud, digital harassment, and religious-sensitivity violations, with penalties up to 7 years imprisonment.
Online Safety Commission
The OSC is a five-member body appointed by the Executive President (subject to Constitutional Council approval). It can unilaterally define 'prohibited statements,' order platform takedowns, restrict internet access, and recommend criminal prosecutions, without mandatory prior judicial oversight.
Platform liability
The OSA makes social media platforms (Facebook, Google, Twitter/X and equivalents) liable for hosted content. Platforms must comply with OSC removal orders or face legal consequences, though detailed due-diligence or transparency-reporting obligations comparable to the EU DSA are absent.
Amendment process underway (2025)
In February 2025, Cabinet agreed to amend rather than repeal the OSA and appointed a multi-sectoral committee chaired by a Supreme Court judge. A public consultation was launched inviting civil society, media, and international stakeholders to submit recommendations; as of late 2025 no revised text had been tabled.
International human-rights concerns
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the ICJ, and Freedom House have criticised the OSA's vague terminology as enabling arbitrary suppression of dissent. The ICJ formally called in September 2025 for repeal or substantial revision to bring the law into compliance with Sri Lanka's international human rights obligations.
History of internet shutdowns
Outside the OSA, Sri Lanka has a documented history of executive-ordered social media blocks; a 15-hour blackout affecting Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok was imposed during the April 2022 Aragalaya protests. No comparable nationwide shutdown is recorded for 2025-2026, but the OSC retains statutory authority to restrict internet access.
Sources
- parliament.lk/uploads/acts/gbills/english/6311.pdf
- dig.watch/resource/sri-lankas-online-safety-act-no-9-of-2024
- globalnetworkinitiative.org/sri-lankas-online-safety-act-a-year-in-review-and-framework-for-refor
- groundviews.org/2025/02/05/sri-lankas-online-safety-act-a-year-in-review-and-framewor
- srilankabrief.org/npp-govt-decides-to-keep-the-online-safety-act-with-amendments/
- amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/01/sri-lanka-online-safety-act-major-blow-to-free
- icj.org/sri-lanka-icj-calls-for-repeal-or-substantial-revision-of-online-safe
- freedomhouse.org/country/sri-lanka/freedom-net/2025
- pulse.internetsociety.org/en/shutdowns/social-media-disruption-in-sri-lanka/
- netblocks.org/reports/vpn-services-blocked-in-sri-lanka-as-information-controls-tig
- lankalaw.net/2024/02/27/what-are-the-key-aspects-of-the-online-safety-act/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_Safety_Act_(Sri_Lanka)
Next for Sri Lanka: CybersecurityProposed
Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026