This page features content from LIRNEasia’s work on broadband quality of service experience and other matters directly related to policy and regulations in the digital sphere.

For course content from the BroadbandAsia.info telecom policy and regulation courses, please see LIRNEasia.net/broadbandasia

Documents

• LIRNEasia’s Comments on the Online Safety Act and Amendments

  In August 2025, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration issued a public notice calling on all stakeholders to submit observations, comments, recommendations, and suggestions on amending the Online Safety Act, No. 09 of 2024, and the proposed amendments gazetted on July 31, 2024. In response, LIRNEasia submitted following comments, drafted by Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Founder and Chair of LIRNEasia. The comments emphasize that the framers of the Act had failed to grasp the unique and novel characteristics of social media, particularly in relation to the viral dissemination of content, limitations on freedom of expression, the vagueness of several offences defined under the Act, and the importance of aligning with existing laws where possible.

• Making sense of Sri Lanka’s efforts to criminalise internet content

  Now that the fate of the “online safety” bill is in the hands of the many petitioners (45) and the three-judge bench that is looking at its constitutionality, we can look at the big picture of what the government is trying to do with this draconian legislation. It appears that even the committee that was formed in 2021 to advise on it has distanced itself from the final text. LIRNEasia Chair, Rohan Samarajiva gave a talk on this at the CMR-Nepal Journalism Academy in Kathmandu on 19 October 2023. The slides can be viewed below.

• Evaluating Policy Influence: LIRNEasia inputs for the draft Cyber Security Bill

  On May 23rd 2019, the Government of Sri Lanka posted the Draft Cyber Security Bill on the SL CERT website and invited public comments/input. LIRNEasia submitted comments in response to the SL CERT’s request. Our written comments submitted on 5th June 2019 are available through the link below Comments on the Cyber Security Bill – Sri Lanka 2019 Subsequently in August 2023, the Government of Sri Lanka posted an updated version of the Cyber Security Bill and invited public comments. LIRNEasia once again submitted written comments on 18th August 2023, which can be accessed here. Comments on the Cyber Security Bill – Sri Lanka 2023 The report below analyses the extent to which the input submitted by LIRNEasia in 2019 has been taken into account in the updated (August 2023) version of the proposed Bill

• Comments on the Cyber Security Bill – Sri Lanka 2023

  LIRNEasia submitted a response to the Ministry of Technology’s invitation to comment on the Cyber Security Bill uploaded to the website of Sri Lanka CERT in August 2023 (www.cert.gov.lk). The submission addresses specific concerns related to the requirement for accreditation of Cyber Security service providers, the composition of the Cyber Security Regulatory Authority and the definition of the term Critical National Information Infrastructure. Full text of the submission is below LIRNEasia comments cyber security Bill 17-08-2023 web            

• LIRNEasia Chair speaks on the inauthenticity of content in internet regulation

  LIRNEasia Chair, Rohan Samarajiva delivered the keynote address on Day 1 of ICA Manipal Regional Hub 2023, organised by the Manipal Institute of Communication, titled: Inauthenticity of content in internet regulation: Who decides and how?

• Evaluating Policy Influence with Process Tracing: LIRNEasia inputs for PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION ACT, No. 9 OF 2022

  This report is to evaluate the impact of interventions (written comments on the draft bill during the stakeholder consultation) by LIRNEasia on the Personal Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022, which was passed by the Parliament of Sri Lanka on 9th of March 2022. The report also provides details of media coverage of LIRNEasia interventions on the Act.

• Tackling online misinformation while protecting freedom of expression (Event Report)

  An Expert Round Table discussion on “Tackling online misinformation while protecting freedom of expression” held on the 11th of October 2021, as the second of a series of discussions under the theme of “Frontiers of Digital Economy”

• Regulatory and policy solutions to support achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 of Safe & Affordable Water for All (Report – Sinhala)

  A detailed report on drinking water and sanitation services, containing recommendations for 18 state agencies, developed on the basis of countrywide consultations.

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Events

• LIRNEasia Research Fellow Ashwini Natesan at Media Forward 2025
  Media Forward 2025 was held from 24–26 November 2025 in Colombo, organised by UNDP Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Broadcasters’ Guild, Hashtag Generation, Factum, Verité Media and Politics, the Media Law Forum, the Free Media Movement, and the Sri Lanka Digital Journalists’ Association.
• LIRNEasia’s Chair Professor Rohan Samarajiva at ADB’s SKOP on Cybersecurity and Data Protection for Digital Economy Development
  On 15 October 2025, the Asian Development Bank’s Serendipity Knowledge Program (SKOP) hosted a high-level event on Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, and Data Protection for Digital Economy Development in Sri Lanka.
• Making sense of Sri Lanka’s efforts to criminalise internet content
  Now that the fate of the “online safety” bill is in the hands of the many petitioners (45) and the three-judge bench that is looking at its constitutionality, we can look at the big picture of what the government is trying to do with this draconian legislation.
• LIRNEasia-South Centre Expert forum: Policy Options for Digital Taxation in South and Southeast Asia
  LIRNEasia together with the South Centre hosted an expert forum on Policy Options for Digital Taxation in South and Southeast Asia on 19 September 2023.
• LIRNEasia Chair speaks on the inauthenticity of content in internet regulation
  LIRNEasia Chair, Rohan Samarajiva delivered the keynote address on Day 1 of ICA Manipal Regional Hub 2023, organised by the Manipal Institute of Communication, titled: Inauthenticity of content in internet regulation: Who decides and how?

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People

Sabina Fernando

Muhammad Aslam Hayat

Helani Galpaya

Dilshan Fernando

Htaike Htaike Aung

Abu Saeed Khan

Gayani Hurulle

Grace Mirandilla-Santos

Shazna Zuhyle

Yatanar Htun

Blogs and Updates

• LIRNEasia Research Fellow Ashwini Natesan at Media Forward 2025
  Media Forward 2025 was held from 24–26 November 2025 in Colombo, organised by UNDP Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Broadcasters’ Guild, Hashtag Generation, Factum, Verité Media and Politics, the Media Law Forum, the Free Media Movement, and the Sri Lanka Digital Journalists’ Association.
• Is Sri Lanka’s Online Safety Act Really Needed?
  In an article published on 22 November 2025 in the Daily FT, Attorney-at-Law and LIRNEasia Researcher Sachini Ranasinghe raised concerns about the Online Safety Act (OSA) and its implications for free expression.
• LIRNEasia’s Chair Professor Rohan Samarajiva at ADB’s SKOP on Cybersecurity and Data Protection for Digital Economy Development
  On 15 October 2025, the Asian Development Bank’s Serendipity Knowledge Program (SKOP) hosted a high-level event on Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, and Data Protection for Digital Economy Development in Sri Lanka.
• LIRNEasia’s Comments on the Online Safety Act and Amendments
  In August 2025, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration issued a public notice calling on all stakeholders to submit observations, comments, recommendations, and suggestions on amending the Online Safety Act, No.
• Starlink in Sri Lanka: Legal and Regulatory Perspectives from LIRNEasia’s Chair Prof. Rohan Samarajiva
  Sri Lanka is preparing to roll out Starlink, an innovative satellite-based telecommunications service provider.
• Taxing global multinationals for fair competition
  The digital economy is experiencing remarkable growth globally, and Sri Lanka is no exception.
• Senior Research Manager Gayani Hurulle participates at CA Sri Lanka’s Annual Economic and Tax Symposium
  Taxation is a critical tool for sustainable development, playing a vital role in reducing poverty, ensuring food security, and enhancing social protection.
• Issues posed by the call for comments on the Starlink license
  The TRC is likely to address problems of a “level playing field” that come up when a global tech company offers the same service that a local company does.
• Sri Lanka needs policy reforms to align with evolving digital economy: LIRNEasia Senior Research Manager Gayani Hurulle
  Gayani Hurulle, Senior Research Manager at LIRNEasia, recently discussed the challenges facing Sri Lanka’s digital economy in an interview with Yarl TV.
• Making sense of Sri Lanka’s efforts to criminalise internet content
  Now that the fate of the “online safety” bill is in the hands of the many petitioners (45) and the three-judge bench that is looking at its constitutionality, we can look at the big picture of what the government is trying to do with this draconian legislation.
• How to effectively address problems posed by harmful user-generated content (and why Sri Lanka’s Online Safety Bill must be withdrawn)
  "Safeguarding freedom of speech and expression is so important that it is constitutionally protected in most civilised countries, as it is in Sri Lanka.
• LIRNEasia-South Centre Expert forum: Policy Options for Digital Taxation in South and Southeast Asia
  LIRNEasia together with the South Centre hosted an expert forum on Policy Options for Digital Taxation in South and Southeast Asia on 19 September 2023.
• Evaluating Policy Influence: LIRNEasia inputs for the draft Cyber Security Bill
  On May 23rd 2019, the Government of Sri Lanka posted the Draft Cyber Security Bill on the SL CERT website and invited public comments/input.
• Comments on the Cyber Security Bill – Sri Lanka 2023
  LIRNEasia submitted a response to the Ministry of Technology’s invitation to comment on the Cyber Security Bill uploaded to the website of Sri Lanka CERT in August 2023 (www.
• LIRNEasia Chair speaks on the inauthenticity of content in internet regulation
  LIRNEasia Chair, Rohan Samarajiva delivered the keynote address on Day 1 of ICA Manipal Regional Hub 2023, organised by the Manipal Institute of Communication, titled: Inauthenticity of content in internet regulation: Who decides and how?
• LIRNEasia CEO setting the stage the UN Global Digital Compact Deep Dive on Internet Governance
  LIRNEasia CEO Helani Galpaya frames the discussions at the UN’s ongoing official consultations leading to the development of the Global Digital Compact, along with Vint Cerf and Tripti Sinha.
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