Sri Lanka to launch national review on social media’s impact on children

Sri Lanka plans to launch a national assessment and policy review on the impact of social media on children, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne announced.

The initiative will be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. It will involve experts from child protection, education, health, mental health, cyber security, law and research fields, along with civil society groups and young people.

Speaking on the issue, Weeraratne said many parents struggle to understand how social media affects their children and how best to protect them. He stressed that banning technology is not the solution, as social media provides educational benefits, supports creativity and improves communication.

However, he warned that the online environment can also be unsafe and emotionally stressful for children. Excessive use can harm sleep, education, friendships and mental well-being. Attempts to control overuse sometimes lead to conflict, anger and harsh discipline, which further affect children’s confidence and emotional health.

Cyberbullying remains a major concern, along with children’s exposure to violent, sexual and other harmful content. Some children repeatedly engage with such material, while certain online games encourage risky or disruptive behaviour. In extreme cases, these experiences have led children to put their lives at risk.

Weeraratne said child online safety has become a national priority in many countries and outlined three key principles guiding Sri Lanka’s approach: children’s safety must come first, decisions must be based on evidence and research, and actions must respect rights and privacy while avoiding excessive surveillance.

He added that Sri Lanka plans to study global best practices and adapt them to local needs to build a comprehensive child protection programme. The upcoming national assessment will be the first step in this process.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the challenge cannot be addressed by the government alone and requires cooperation from parents, teachers and children themselves. The goal, he said, is to create a safe digital environment where children can use technology responsibly and confidently.