Sri Lanka seeks tighter control over short message system

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's legal landscape is undergoing a period of significant activity, with new draft laws being presented related to fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and information access.

Some of the draft laws have faced legal challenges, with petitions filed before the Supreme Court, and other draft legislation has been temporarily set aside.

Monday's cabinet meeting included discussion focusing on SMS reform.

The Cabinet had given the green light for the proposal that was submitted for the implementation of an international A2P short message services center by a UK-based private company.

What is Application-to-Person Messaging?

It is easy to explain this method by citing several examples.

Application-to-Person Messaging includes One-time passwords (OTPs) sent to our phones ensure secure access to sensitive data systems, even if we've forgotten or changed our password. 

Further, messages may also include appointment reminders, alerts, notifications, and occasionally, even public opinion polls and surveys.

What is Sri Lanka planning to do?

The Department of Government Information in a statement on Cabinet Decisions reported that it has been observed that the excessive use of short message system or SMS has led to fraud, spam and illegal activities.

Therefore, it has been recognized of the requirement of a centralized short message system network security appliance firewall or SMS Firewall to regularize short message exchange in order to confront such challenges.

Accordingly, a proposal has been submitted for implementation of an international A2P short message services centre by Infobip which is a UK-based private company.