The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), while informing Court yesterday that it had banned a number of pornographic websites that allegedly feature local men and women, said that they were unable to provide details of people who operate such pornographic websites as they usually originate from overseas.
Submitting a letter before the Colombo Fort Magistrate, the TRC further informed Court that it could seek the assistance of the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) if it needed such facts. The TRC further informed Court that it had taken measures to ban hundreds of porn sites in Sri Lanka.
On a previous occasion, the Colombo Fort Magistrate, Ms. Lanka Jayaratne, had directed the TRC to submit a report regarding the persons who operate pornographic websites in accordance with a list provided by the Children and Women’s Bureau.
The Children and Women’s Bureau had observed that pornographic material found on the web could easily induce children, young people and adults to sexual crimes. The Bureau further told court that they were conducting investigations and would take legal action against anyone found guilty under the provisions of the Obscene Publications Act No 22 of 1983.
By: Lakmal Sooriyagoda
