Sri Lanka has discussed launching a comprehensive national programme to protect children from cyber threats, online violence and other harmful digital impacts through a combination of regulatory and educational measures.

The discussion, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at Parliament, brought together members of the Digital Education Task Force and government officials to explore effective strategies for ensuring children's safety while enabling them to benefit from digital technologies.

Participants noted that imposing age restrictions on social media alone may not be sufficient, as international studies suggest such bans can lead to unintended consequences, including reduced learning opportunities, migration to riskier platforms, weakened social connections and increased privacy concerns.

Instead, a "Smart Mix" approach was proposed, focusing on improving digital literacy, empowering parents and children, strengthening platform accountability, adopting Safety-by-Design principles and establishing effective systems to respond to online harms.

Draft school-level guidelines for students, teachers and parents were also presented and are expected to be introduced nationwide following approval by the relevant authorities.