New Democratic Front Parliamentarian and President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha has presented a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament seeking to introduce a minimum age requirement for access to social media platforms in Sri Lanka.
The proposed legislation, titled the Social Media Minimum Age Bill, aims to prohibit children under the age of 16 from accessing social media services.
According to the proposal, the Bill seeks to establish a legal framework regulating the minimum age for social media use with the objective of enhancing online safety for children and reducing their exposure to harmful digital content.
The proposed legislation is intended to address growing concerns over the impact of social media on children’s mental health, online safety, privacy, and exposure to inappropriate or harmful material.
If passed by Parliament, the Bill would make Sri Lanka one of several countries that have introduced, or are considering introducing, age-based restrictions on social media platforms as part of broader efforts to strengthen child protection in the digital environment.
The proposed law will now undergo the legislative process before Parliament, where it will be subject to debate and consideration prior to any decision on its enactment.
The move comes amid increasing international discussions on strengthening online safeguards for children and ensuring safer digital spaces for young users.
