This report was authored by the Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University Delhi (CCG), LIRNEasia and BRAC University with guidance from Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). Learn more here.
This report examines the social media regulatory frameworks in Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, focusing on intermediary liability, cybersecurity, ICT regulations, and key speech laws. It highlights that social media governance in these countries is heavily geared towards regulating online information, primarily through mechanisms like internet shutdowns, content blocking, law enforcement access to user data, and criminalizing online speech. The report notes the centralization of power with the executive, the frequent invocation of state security imperatives to justify restrictive measures, and the lack of judicial and parliamentary oversight, resulting in a concerning impact on civil liberties and the democratic rule of law. The overarching conclusion is that current frameworks are insufficiently balanced and overly focused on controlling information flow in the name of national security, often at the expense of citizens’ rights.
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