President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in a significant meeting with Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Meta, during his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Amid their discussions, President Wickremesinghe focused on Sri Lanka's recent initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges posed by online hate speech and the proliferation of fake news. These initiatives, however, have sparked debate in Sri Lanka, with some perceiving the proposed measures as potentially repressive.

The President was keen to stress that the proposed legislation provides avenues for concerned parties to challenge specific aspects through the Supreme Court. He also indicated a willingness to consider further revisions during the forthcoming Parliamentary Committee review, reinforcing the government's commitment to refining the online safety framework.

In a reciprocal exchange, President Wickremesinghe was provided with insights into Meta's cutting-edge advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with particular attention given to open-source technologies.