Government preparing legal framework, fact-checking to curb social media misuse: communications minister

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina said the government is preparing a separate legal framework to curb the misuse of social media.

Responding to lawmakers' questions at Wednesday's House of Representatives meeting, he said the preparations are aimed at addressing fraud, abuse and misleading information spread through social media. He said cases of bullying and character assassination are a high priority for the ministry, and the government is currently working on the issue of character assassination.

According to Minister Timilsina, the Mass Communication Act amendment bill and the Press Council Nepal Act amendment bill that the government is set to introduce include provisions to control the spread of false and misleading information. As per the annual program for fiscal year 2083/84, a separate study has been launched to fact-check social media content. He said discussions and coordination are underway with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Cyber Bureau for this purpose. He noted that the issue of warning and taking action against those posting false information on social media had also been raised in parliament.

At the same meeting, Minister Timilsina said floods on the Bhotekoshi and subsequent flooding caused physical damage worth about NPR 88.5 million to the telecommunications sector. According to him, of the 291 damaged sites across 11 districts of Gandaki Province, 246 have been restored to operation. He said telecom services are being restored on a priority basis in flood-affected areas.