Kathmandu, Ashoj 15 - The Government of Nepal has begun to draft a new law to control social media platforms, as there have been growing concerns regarding online fraud, misinformation, character assassination, violations of privacy and misuse of digital platforms.
Minister for Information and Communications Dr Bikram Timilsina said the government is in the process of policy and legal changes to improve social media and online activities regulation. The authorities are also looking into the international practices of age restriction of children under social media and are considering implementing age restrictions in the country.
The government has also developed the Mass Communications Bill and the Press Council Bill which are due to be submitted to Parliament. The minister says the bill would tackle misinformation spread via mass media "and enhance the functions of the Press Council in upholding journalism standards. Domestic security agencies are also stepping up their cyber-crime and online financial fraud control efforts.
There is coordination under way to implement enforcement measures by the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal Police Cyber Bureau and Nepal Telecommunications Authority. Authorities have identified and blocked over 305,000 online betting websites and applications, the minister said. The government has cautioned users of fake social media profiles about criminal liability if they defame or spread false information or stir up confusion.
The Cyber Bureau and Cyber Security Center are investigating complaints related to such activities. A significant feature of the proposed regulatory regime is privacy protection, as Nepal's Constitution provides for the right to privacy in Article 28. The government has also expressed concerns related to the harmful effects of excessive use of social media on children, families and society. It will study the models adopted by the other countries before deciding on the age limit or other protections for the minors in Nepal.
The proposed measures indicate Nepal is taking steps towards generalizing the legal stance on social media regulation. The present social media law, however, is still in the process of being prepared and the exact restriction, punishment and liabilities of individuals and social media platforms will become clear when a formal bill is presented to Parliament.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
