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Skip to contentSkip to site index Search & Section Navigation Section Navigation SEARCH Asia Pacific SUBSCRIBE FOR $1/WEEKLog in Sunday, March 10, 2024 Today’s Paper SUBSCRIBE FOR $1/WEEK Asia Pacific|Will Memes About Politicians Now Get Sri Lankans Thrown in Jail? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/09/world/asia/sri-lanka-online-safety-act.html * Share full article * * Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT WILL MEMES ABOUT POLITICIANS NOW GET SRI LANKANS THROWN IN JAIL? A sweeping new law on online speech threatens the political humor that has helped the island nation get through tough stretches. * Share full article * * * Read in app Taking a selfie inside the presidential residence after protesters took control of it in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2022. The pool was part of a meme after the protests in Sri Lanka in 2022.Credit...Atul Loke for The New York Times By Pamodi Waravita and Mujib Mashal Reporting from Colombo, Sri Lanka, and New Delhi March 9, 2024 Even in the darkest of times, Sri Lankans held on to their humor. In 2022, when the island nation’s economy collapsed and the government announced a QR code system to ration gasoline, a meme spread online: “Scanning Fuel QR Code Now Makes You Forget Last Three Months.” And when public anger forced the strongman president to flee his palace, with protesters venturing inside to fry snacks in his kitchen and jump into his pool, another meme captured the mood upon their departure: “We Are Leaving. The Key Is Under the Flower Pot.” It is this kind of online expression, which helped fuel the largest citizens’ movement in Sri Lanka in decades, that activists and rights groups fear is now endangered. They are concerned about a new law, the Online Safety Act, that gives the government wide-ranging powers to deem speech on social media to be “prohibited statements.” Under the law, a committee appointed by the president will rule on what is prohibited, and violations could bring penalties ranging from fines of hundreds of dollars to years in prison. Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT The public security minister, Tiran Alles, told Parliament that the legislation would protect against online fraud, the spread of false information and the abuse of women and children. But he also made clear its potential political applications, saying it could be used against those who insult members of Parliament on social media. Sri Lanka is taking a page from other countries in the region that are increasingly policing what people say online, most notoriously Bangladesh, where a 2018 law known as the Digital Security Act has led to the imprisonment of activists and opposition leaders. Subscribe to The Times to read as many articles as you like. Mujib Mashal is the South Asia bureau chief for The Times, helping to lead coverage of India and the diverse region around it, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. More about Mujib Mashal * Share full article * * * Read in app Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT SITE INDEX SITE INFORMATION NAVIGATION * © 2024 The New York Times Company * NYTCo * Contact Us * Accessibility * Work with us * Advertise * T Brand Studio * Your Ad Choices * Privacy Policy * Terms of Service * Terms of Sale * Site Map * Canada * International * Help * Subscriptions Our best offer. Sale won’t last: $1 a week for your first year. See details -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoy unlimited access to all of The Times. See subscription options