The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has pointed out that any future policy regarding the regulation of social media to deal with hate speech must strike a necessary balance with the Sri Lankan constitution and the country's international human rights obligations.

 “While we are encouraged by media reports that TRC has taken steps to Iift the restriction on social media as quickly as possible, we also wish to point out that any future policy regarding the regulation of social media to deal with hate speech must strike that necessary balance so that freedom of expression and the right to information are restricted only within the legal limits permitted by the Constitution and Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations in the larger public interest," Chairperson of the Human Rights Commisssion Dr. Deepika Udugama said in a letter to Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando. 

In her letter, she also highlighted the need to take legal action against those who are using social media to propagate communal hatred and incite sectarian violence under applicable laws, in particular under the ICCPR Act No. 56 of 2007.

She said the HRCSL had received several complaints from the public regarding the restrictions on social media.