Sri Lanka to introduce legislation protecting children from social media exploitation

The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has moved to establish comprehensive legislation designed to prevent the misuse of children for online content generation and social media gain. Officials have identified an escalating pattern wherein parents and guardians exploit minors to produce various forms of digital content, leveraging child participation to build audiences and generate revenue streams.

The proposed regulatory framework will establish legal boundaries around parental and adult conduct in children's online representation. By introducing statutory protections, authorities aim to address the absence of adequate safeguards governing child participation in social media activities and commercial digital ventures.

The initiative reflects broader regional concerns regarding child welfare in the digital age. Experts have cautioned that sustained exposure to online content creation poses developmental and psychological risks to minors, alongside concerns regarding data privacy and digital footprints established without informed consent.

The Ministry has signalled its commitment to consulting stakeholders, including child protection advocates, technology sector representatives, and legal specialists, during the legislative development process. Implementation of the new framework is expected to establish clear accountability mechanisms for violations and establish guidelines for responsible guardianship in digital spaces.