Sri Lanka begins talks on social media ban for children under 16

The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has launched preliminary discussions with stakeholders to explore proposals for banning or restricting social media use among children under 16, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said. PM Amarasuriya said that the consultations focus on the social, mental, and health impacts of social media, digital security, and global developments. Work is underway to draft national guidelines on prohibiting access for under‑16s, alongside awareness campaigns aimed at safeguarding children’s mental and physical wellbeing, she said. The Prime Minister further said that the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has also rolled out a programme to help children under 18 overcome mobile phone addiction, which has already shown positive results. PM Harini Amarasuriya made the remarks while addressing the Parliament of Sri Lanka today (08). (Newswire)