Sri Lanka digital economy is progressing faster than the trust frameworks required to support it, posing risks to adoption and long term value, Supreme Court Judge Arjuna Obeyesekere said at the second National Data Protection Symposium, according to Daily FT. He noted that while digital payments, mobile wallets and platform commerce are now embedded in daily life, public confidence in how personal data is governed remains fragile.

He emphasised that trust in a digital economy is rooted in data sovereignty and transparency, warning that efficiency becomes irrelevant once confidence collapses. Addressing the same forum, Data Protection Authority Chairman Rajeeva Bandaranaike said privacy must be treated as a public responsibility and a foundation for sustainable and ethical innovation. He outlined plans to operationalise the Authority through capacity building, awareness and balanced enforcement. The symposium was organised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.