Kathmandu: A daylong conference dwelt on urgency of building digital trust to secure human rights, freedom of expression and safety online. The Digital Rights Festival-2025 was held in the federal capital under the theme of ‘building trust in the digital age’.
According to National News Agency Nepal, addressing the inaugural session of the festival, Justice at Supreme Court, Dr. Nahakul Subedi, emphasized that issues of digital rights are not merely related to technology but to society and the state. “The initiatives from state side help cope with problems and challenges. Wise use of digital spheres is imperative to leverage technology going beyond the convenience it creates,” he remarked, highlighting that digital rights are akin to fundamental rights such as equality and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, pointed out that proper use of digital rights helps build a society based on morality and responsibility, suggesting that the digital age contributes to the thriving of the Republic. As a key note speaker, Prof. Dr. Rohan Samarajiva shared Sri Lanka’s experience of internet shutdowns, which led to protests in April 2022. He advocated for wise regulation of internet and digital activities rather than adopting a blanket approach. “Trust is critical for smooth functioning of a society, so is the case for digital sphere,” Samarajiva noted, adding that digital platforms manipulate user-generated content through algorithms, citing Facebook and X as examples with different content regulation parameters.
Founder of Freedom Forum and Chairperson of the Programme, Taranath Dahal, discussed the Gen Z movement in Nepal, which emerged in response to government-imposed bans on digital rights. He argued for regulatory measures over bans and restrictive actions, stating that gradual regulation would balance digital rights and technology downsides. “Creating a healthy information ecosystem requires a multi-stakeholders’ approach,” he underscored.
The festival featured sessions on human rights protection in the digital age, algorithmic transparency and platform governance, the development of artificial intelligence policy in Nepal, information integrity and digital literacy, and digital challenges and way forward. The event was organized by Digital Freedoms Coalition, with associations from various organizations including Freedom Forum and Internet Governance Institute.