Ljubljana:The government is actively pursuing legal and policy reforms to address issues of fraud, character assassination, defamation, and the spread of false information on social media platforms, Minister for Information and Communications Dr. Bikram Timilsina announced in the House of Representatives.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Timilsina highlighted ongoing efforts to control the rising incidents of fraud and harassment through social media. Proposed measures include the introduction of the draft Mass Communication Bill and the Media Council Bill, which aim to reduce the dissemination of false information via social media and other mass media outlets. These bills are expected to be registered in parliament soon.
Additionally, the Ministry is planning to establish a separate legal mechanism to regulate social media. The Media Council Bill is designed to strengthen the Press Council Nepal, providing it with additional powers and responsibilities to ensure journalists adhere to a code of conduct, thereby promoting professionalism in journalism.
Coordination with agencies such as the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, and the Nepal Telecommunications Authority is in progress to tackle cyber fraud. Notably, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has successfully shut down over 305,000 unique online betting sites and apps.
The government is also committed to prosecuting individuals involved in character assassination and spreading false information through fake social media accounts. Efforts are being coordinated between the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police and the Cyber Security Centre to address these issues.
Minister Timilsina emphasized the importance of protecting citizens’ digital privacy and safeguarding children from the negative impacts of social media. The government plans to develop policies suitable for the Nepali context by studying age-based restrictions and regulatory standards from other countries to protect children from the adverse effects of social media use.