Status of disinformation and its regulation in Nepal

1. Exploring Disinformation in Nepal
Advocate Santosh Sigdel
Founder Chair, Digital Rights Nepal

2. Background
• Internet penetration has increased lately
• 38% fixed broadband, 95% Internet Broadband
• New generation of internet users
• Internet has become a new source of information compared to
radio, television and newspaper
• In a national survey, people getting local news and information
from youtube rose to 15% in 2022 compared to 4% in 2021
• Similarly, facebook has become information source for 41% in 2022
compared to 21% in 2021
• Low level of media literacy and digital literacy

3. Mis/Disinformation
• Internet has played a role in flaring up Mis/disinformation
• It was more rife on national issues such as election, passage of US
Government supported Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) or
popular issues such as arrest of a well-known actor on rape charge
• A trend was also observed during CoVID-19, when both
misinformation and disinformation was very high
• In general, disinformation is targeted against population already
vulnerable offline such as women, members of LGBTIQA
community, caste and ethnic groups
• Cyber wing of political parties and their members also found
involved in spreading mis/disinformation

4. Vehicles of Mis/Disinformation
• In a survey conducted by Center for Media Research, 95 percent
Internet users claim that they have encountered misinformation,
especially in social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube
• However, traditional media also plays role in spreading
mis/disinformation
• A 2021 study by Media Action Nepal found that 1,817 of the 49,051
news articles it surveyed included false or misleading information.

5. Election and Disinformation
• Election Commission had addressed the issue of Disinformation in
Election Code of Conduct
• They also had a series of meeting with Meta in Kathmandu to
control election-related disinformation
• However, there many cases of spread of disinformation such as
doctored images of politicians, out-of-context/trimmed videos,
doctored screen shots of news etc to impact the election
• Coordinated campaign by the political parties and its wings to
spread Mis/disinformation during election
• Disinformation mainly targeted towards discrediting political
opponent

6. Regulating laws and Policies
• Electronic Transaction Act, Section 47
• Criminal Code, Section 70
• Election Code of Conduct

7. Proposed laws and Policies
• National Cyber Security Policy
• Media Council Bill
• Information Technology Bill
• Cyber Security Bill

8. Challenges
• No comprehensive study on existence, spread and impact of
disinformation
• Low level of media and digital literacy
• Non-consultative policy processes
• Lack of expertize among civil society organizations to assess the
issues involved (Freedom of Expression, Right to Information, Media
Freedom)
• Lack of capacity among traditional human rights organizations
• Missing orientation to the new Members of Parliament

9. Way forward
• Investment in enhancing digital and media literacy
• Building capacity of HR organizations and Civil Society
• Ensuring that the policy processes are collaborative and
consultative
• Investing on Fact checking organizations
• Public awareness campaigns
• Collaboration among organizations

10. Santosh Sigdel
Twitter: @sigdelsantosh @digitalrightsnp
9851096745