VPNs are generally considered legal in Sri Lanka, as there are no specific laws currently prohibiting their use for legitimate purposes. However, the government has a history of restricting access to social media and communication platforms during times of national unrest or emergency. While the technology itself is not outlawed, authorities have previously blocked access to popular VPN services to prevent users from bypassing these social media bans (1).
Citizens often turn to VPNs to maintain access to information when government-imposed blocks are implemented on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. Reports indicate that during the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the government temporarily blocked several major social media sites and at least one popular VPN service. Despite these occasional restrictions, the use of VPNs remains a common method for Sri Lankans to navigate internet censorship and stay connected during such shutdowns (2).
"The widespread use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) in Sri Lanka and the resultant patchwork nature of the social media shutdown shows that citizens use social media to gather information and interpret events regardless of a ban being in place."
Beyond emergency measures, some internet service providers have imposed their own restrictions on VPN usage. For instance, the state-owned provider Sri Lanka Telecom has blocked VPN traffic on certain unlimited data packages as part of their terms and conditions. This indicates that while using a VPN is not a criminal offense, users may face technical barriers or service limitations depending on their internet provider and the specific data plan they choose to subscribe to (1).
Source:
https://freedomhouse.org/country/sri-lanka/freedom-net/2021
https://icct.nl/sites/default/files/2022-12/StratComms-Report-2.pdf
Last updated: 15-01-2026 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
