The bill relating to the regulation of social media has been gazetted last night.
It is stated that the purpose of this gazette announcement published as per the order of the Minister of Public Safety is to prohibit the communication of statements spread over the internet, and to prevent the dissemination of information through fake accounts.
The government has decided to regulate the internet through a commission to be established through this act.
Through this, media experts are of the opinion that the aim of the government is to control the criticism of existing governments on the internet.
The Act has been misinterpreted as,
* Communicating false statements about incidents in Sri Lanka,
* Making defamatory false statements,
* gratuitous incitement to commit mutiny by false statement,
* Disturbing a religious meeting by false statement,
* Communicating a false statement with the express intention of hurting religious sentiments,
* Communicating an absolutely and maliciously false statement to offend religious feeling,
* Fraud, impersonation,
* Intentionally defaming by making a false statement with intent to provoke a breach of the peace,
* Circulating a false statement with intent to cause rebellion or offense against the Government etc.,
* Communicating statements about incidents of harassment,
* Child abuse, creating or modifying bots to commit an offence, etc.
