Policies to regulate social media must strike a balance: HRC

Freedom of expression and the right to information must be balanced in any future policy regarding the regulation of social media to deal with hate speech within the legal limits, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) said yesterday.

Dr Deepika Udagama, the Chairperson of the HRCSL said the legal limits, within which freedom of expression and the Right to Information should be restricted, must be within the Constitution and Sri Lanka's international human rights obligations in the larger public interest.

In a letter sent to the Chairman of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRCSL) Chairman Austin Fernando on Thursday, she said the HRCSL had received several complaints from the public regarding the continued restrictions on social media even after the violence in the Kandy District was under control.

“The Commission recognizes the critical necessity to protect freedom of expression and the right to information as guaranteed by the Constitution of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka's international human rights obligations,” the letter said.

“ln doing so, we recognize the need to strike the necessary balance between those rights and maintenance of public order and the protection of the rights of all,” it said.

Further, the HRCSL had reiterated the urgent need to take legal action against those who were using social media to propagate communal hatred and incite sectarian violence, under applicable laws, in particular under the ICCPR Act No. 56 of 2007.

The ban on social media was removed by the Government during the week.

Discussions are also being held with telecommunication authorities including officials from Facebook Inc. who arrived in the country yesterday.

However, it is also learnt that regulating social media posts in local languages was a challenge for the officials at the TRCSL. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)