Tech Cooperation

Factum Perspective: Internet Censorship in Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Tech CooperationMarch 3, 2024160Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Britney Martil South Asia continues to grapple with the complex challenge of internet censorship. As governments deploy measures to control online content and restrict connectivity, concerns surrounding digital freedom have grown. This comparative analysis sheds light on the nuanced landscape of internet censorship in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, examining key incidents, government actions, and…

Factum Special Perspective: Online Safety Act – Its Ambit and its Impact

Tech CooperationFebruary 26, 2024205Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Jagath Liyanarachchi Background Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Mass Media and Ali Sabry, President’s Counsel, Minister of Justice, presented a cabinet paper on April 1, 2022, seeking permission from the Cabinet of Ministers to present a draft of a bill to “protect society from the harm caused by false propaganda on the internet.” This had…

Factum Perspective: In Pakistan, AI Charts a New Course for South Asian Politics

Regional Geopolitics, Science and Technology, Tech CooperationFebruary 18, 2024257Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya with Nevindi Jayawardana and Dilshan Bataduwaarachchi By the time Pakistanis headed for elections on February 8, Imran Khan had been served a 14-year jail sentence, on top of other charges and allegations. Barely a week earlier, Khan, the country’s most popular Opposition figure, had been disqualified from holding office for 10…

Factum Special Perspective: Online Safety Bill, Supreme Court Ruling, and Alternatives

Peace and Conflict, Tech CooperationNovember 15, 2023408Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Jagath Liyanaarachchi Online Safety Bill As per the directive of the Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles, the Online Safety Bill was published in the Gazette on September 18, 2023. On October 10, 2023, the bill was tabled in the Parliament for the first reading. The Bill envisages the establishment of a Commission for…

Factum Special Perspective: Online Safety or Muzzling Online Free Speech?

Science and Technology, Tech CooperationOctober 19, 2023243Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Muhammad Aftab Alam A review of Proposed Legislation in Pakistan and Sri Lanka In September 2023, the Sri Lankan government introduced an Online Safety Bill to establish an “Online Safety Commission”, the purported objective being “to prevent the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for prohibited purposes and to suppress the financing…

Factum Special Perspective: The Draft Online Safety Bill

Peace and Conflict, Science and Technology, Tech CooperationSeptember 27, 2023706Views 1Like 0Comments

By Jagath Liyanarachchi On September 18, 2023, the Draft Online Safety Bill was published in the Sri Lankan Government Gazette on the orders of the Minister of Justice. The following is a brief introduction to the Bill. Objectives of the Bill As stated in Section 3, the purpose of the Bill is 1/ To protect…

Factum Perspective: Fostering innovation in Sri Lanka

International Development, Tech CooperationMay 14, 2023515Views 0Likes 0Comments

By Malidu Mihisara Aluth alut de nothanana jaathiya lowa nonagi Siga kema beri wunu thana lagii gaya mara gii These lines were written by the Sri Lankan poet and author Cumaratunga Munidasa. A nation that does not innovate, he observes, will never prosper, and will eventually have to beg. I would like to go beyond Munidasa’s reading.…

Factum Perspective: Central Bank Digital Currencies and Emerging Economies – Part II

Health and Economic Cooperation, International Development, Tech CooperationMarch 26, 2023427Views 0Likes 0Comments

Read Part I of this article here. By Kasun Thilina Kariyawasam In general, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) can help businesses and individuals engage in international trade and investment, by providing a stable, regulated, and transparent currency that mitigates some of the risks associated with cross-border transactions. CBDCs for firms A CBDC can help…

Factum Exclusive: Going QR – A quiet digital revolution in Sri Lanka

Health and Economic Cooperation, Tech CooperationSeptember 4, 20222KViews 0Likes 0Comments

By Uditha Devapriya How one team came together to resolve Sri Lanka’s intractable fuel shortages On June 27, Sri Lankans woke up to some rather dismal news: the country had run out of fuel, and the government would limit stocks to essential services and industries for two weeks. The situation was so bad that the…