An activist performs as he wears social media logos on his shirt during a protest near the parliament as Sri Lanka's parliament readies to pass an Online Safety Bill that the government says is needed to deal with online fraud, abuse and false statements that impact national security, but which opponents of the bill warn could suppress free speech, in Colombo, Sri Lanka January 24, 2024. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's lawmakers are set to vote on a social media regulation bill on Wednesday which opposition politicians and activists allege will muzzle free speech.
The Online Safety Bill proposes jail terms for content that a five-member commission considers illegal and make social media platforms such as Google, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, liable for those posted on their platforms.
