New laws to curb misinformation : Sabry

COLOMBO (News1st): Justice minister Ali Sabry has said that new laws will be brought forward to curb misinformation on social media platforms. "We are holding discussions in the cabinet to bring forth several new laws in this regard," Sabry said on Sunday. He pointed out that freedom of speech must be exercised under restrictions concerning national security, reconciliation and development, refraining from destroying the name of the country and defaming individuals. "We are currently considering laws such as the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act that have been implemented in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and India," Sabry noted. The justice minister observed that between 15 to 17 percent of social media accounts in Sri Lanka are fake. "Therefore, no one can file cases against them even if they spread false information. There is a certain limit up to which this freedom can be exercised," Sabry said.