Verité survey:56% fear ‘Online Safety Bill’ will limit social media freedom

In a survey conducted by Verité Research, 56% of the respondents who were familiar with the Online Safety Bill expressed concerns that it would curtail the freedom of using social media.   

When asked if they were aware of the government’s introduction of a bill to regulate behaviour on social media, 34% of the respondents answered affirmatively.   

Among those who acknowledged awareness of the bill, 56% believed it would restrict the freedom of using social media, while 25% thought it would not have a significant impact, and 19% believed it would help reduce the misuse of social media.   

Published in the government gazette on September 18 and presented to Parliament on October 3, the Online Safety Bill aims to establish an Online Safety Commission with defined powers and functions.   

However, the Supreme Court has identified 31 clauses in the bill that require amendment for it to be passed with a simple majority. Currently, a special two-thirds majority in Parliament is needed for its passage.   

The survey, conducted in October 2023, gathered responses from 1,029 Sri Lankan adults in an island-wide, nationally representative sample. The poll has a maximum error margin of ±3% at a 95% confidence interval.   

This survey was part of the Syndicated Surveys instrument by Verité Research, with Vanguard Survey (Pvt) Ltd serving as the polling partner. Verité Research extends the opportunity for other organisations to gauge the sentiments of the people of Sri Lanka through this poll.