Sri Lanka president demands fast digital ID rollout

The leader of Sri Lanka has given a timeframe for when he expects the national digital ID to be implemented.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the initiative will be completed within 18 months, as reported by the South Asian country’s Daily Mirror.

Dissanayake stressed the importance of digitizing Sri Lanka’s economy while addressing the timeframe of when the national digital ID will be implemented at a meeting with members of the Sri Lanka Banks’ Association.

The meeting focused on the banking sector’s role in supporting Sri Lanka’s economy, which has struggled in recent years. Discussions also ranged from challenging project timelines to investment obstacles, which were linked to issues such as corruption.

But the Sri Lankan president pointed to his administration’s commitment to streamlining such activities and ensuring a simpler, more transparent and efficient system. Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office on September 23, taking control as the country struggles with an economic crisis, inflation, and shortage of essentials such as fuel.

U.S. embassy in Columbo encouraging digital safety

The U.S. embassy in Sri Lanka along with local company WhimsicalWits have launched a mobile app designed to educate on digital safety.

The “Cyber Hero” app was developed by a female-led team at WhimsicalWits, reports Lankan News Web, with the intention of promoting responsible online behavior, cybersecurity, and digital literacy, in a game-like experience.

Launched at an event held in the American Center in Columbo, Sri Lanka, the app is available for free on the Google Play Store. In attendance were the U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, who addressed the crowd, and managing director of WhimsicalWits Uthpala Pathirana who talked through the immersive app.

“This project has been both a challenge and an opportunity,” Uthpala Pathirana said, as reported by Lanka News Web. “Our goal is to make complex digital safety concepts more relatable and engaging, giving young users confidence as they navigate the digital world.”

Cyber Hero shows players how to recognize and handle cyber threats, with a 3D immersive experience, to teach young people and marginalized groups online phenomena such as phishing, malware, privacy breaches. In addition, digital rights concepts are transmitted via the app and its various scenarios.

Cyber Hero was developed as part of the Protecting Online Rights of Changemakers (PORCH) project with support by Internews. The U.S. embassy funded the collaborative effort, with design and development led by Sri Lankan studio WhimsicalWits, while the 3D game’s script was provided by Bangladeshi organization Digitally Right, which is known for its educational digital content.

Article Topics

digital economy  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  national ID  |  Sri Lanka