INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Second Reading of the Online Safety Bill is scheduled to be debated on January 23 and 24, as per a decision taken by the Committee on
Parliamentary Business today (Jan.12).The Online Safety Bill, published in the government gazette on September 18, aims to ban online
prohibited purposes, to suppress the financing and other support of communication of false statements and other related matters.However, the
Bill has come under fire for some of its problematic aspects, with the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) which consists of multiple tech giants
including Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Yahoo, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Bar Association of Sri Lanka
(BASL), and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) voicing concerns.Several petitions were filed soon after the Bill was presented
in parliament, by numerous parties including social activist and independent journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara; Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith;
Peiris, challenging various provisions included in the legislation, alleging that the relevant bill is in violation of the fundamental
rights of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
