In a recent development, the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), a trade body representing major tech giants including Meta, Apple, Amazon, X (formerly Twitter), Google, and Snap Inc., has contested statements made by Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Tiran Alles regarding the contentious Online Safety Bill.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the AIC refuted the Minister's claims, asserting that his recent statements "do not accurately reflect the substantial contributions that the AIC has made throughout the legislative process." The influential trade body also highlighted that they were not informed of any amendments to the Online Safety Bill, despite their active involvement in the legislative discussions.
While acknowledging their comprehensive submissions and engagements with the Ministry of Public Security, such as hosting the annual Online Safety Forum in Singapore, the AIC maintained their stance that the current form of the Online Safety Bill is "unworkable." They emphasized, "We unequivocally stand by our position that the Online Safety Bill, in its current form, is unworkable and would undermine potential growth and foreign direct investment into Sri Lanka’s digital economy."
Expressing their commitment to working with the government, the AIC insisted on extensive revisions to align the Bill with global best practices. On January 8, the AIC had previously raised concerns with Minister Tiran Alles, identifying 13 key issues within the proposed Bill that could hinder the growth of Sri Lanka’s digital economy.
The Online Safety Bill, published in the government gazette on September 18, 2023, aims to ban certain online communications, prevent the misuse of online accounts for
