Sri Lanka to Introduce New Laws to Regulate Social Media Misinformation, Says Minister Nalinda Jayatissa
By Lions Roar News Political & Media Desk
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (Thursday, January 22, 2026) — The Government of Sri Lanka is moving toward drafting comprehensive legislation to regulate social media content that misleads or causes distress to the public. Speaking in Parliament today (January 22), Minister of Health and Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, emphasized that current legal frameworks are insufficient to cover all sectors being affected by unregulated online propaganda.
The Minister highlighted that while some existing laws can be used to address specific issues, such as deceptive advertising for Ayurvedic products, a more holistic legislative approach is required to protect the general public.
⚖️ Closing the Legal Gaps
Minister Jayatissa pointed out that the lack of a unified law for social media regulation has allowed harmful content to spread unchecked across various fields.
- Ayurvedic Regulation: The Minister noted that deceptive promotions for Ayurvedic medicines and treatments on social platforms can currently be challenged under existing health and consumer protection laws.
- The Need for New Laws: He argued that the country lacks a specific, overarching law designed to regulate social media across all sectors. This gap, he stated, makes it difficult to prevent people from being victimized by false information.
- Balanced Governance: The goal of the proposed legislation would be to control the negative impact of social media campaigns that cause public suffering while maintaining a balance between regulation and freedom of expression.
📑 Key Points from Today’s Parliamentary Session
| Topic | Minister’s Statement |
| Current Laws | Can regulate some specific medical advertisements but are limited. |
| New Legislation | Required to cover all sectors and protect the public from distress. |
| Target Content | Social media propaganda that is harmful or misleading to the masses. |
| Lead Ministry | Health and Media Ministry in collaboration with Justice authorities. |
💬 “Prevention is Better than Cure”
During his speech, Dr. Jayatissa noted that social media has become a primary tool for spreading unverified information, ranging from health “cures” to social misinformation.
“It is essential to formulate appropriate laws to regulate propaganda on social media that causes distress to people across all fields. Currently, we do not have a specific law in the country for this purpose, and by enacting such laws, we can control these harmful situations,” the Minister stated.
