Press Council Nepal Warns Against Misinformation on Unregistered Social Media Platforms Ahead of Elections

Kathmandu. The Press Council Nepal has expressed serious concern over misleading and malicious content being spread through platforms operating via social media without registration or documentation as media outlets, targeting the House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21.

Issuing a statement on Thursday, the Council stated that activities aimed at humiliating, insulting, spreading propaganda, and disseminating false, incorrect, and misleading information against political parties and candidates participating in the election through YouTube channels, Facebook pages, and reels are on the rise.

It was informed that coordination with the Election Commission has been established based on complaints received by the Council regarding this matter, and monitoring processes have been initiated. The Council stated that during special monitoring, it was observed that the prevailing election code of conduct was being seriously violated through social media platforms operating without registration or documentation as per the law.

The Council has put such platforms on notice, directed them to immediately halt content violating the code of conduct, and instructed them to operate within the law, code of conduct, and professional journalistic values and norms after registering and documenting themselves as per regulations.

The Council clarified that it has corresponded with bodies including the Nepal Police and the Cyber Bureau for investigation and action against networks that repeatedly publish and broadcast content against regulations in defiance of the directive.

The Council urged social media users to remain vigilant, stating that spreading propaganda, insults, misleading comments, and malicious information targeting political parties and candidates, which negatively impacts the election during a sensitive time like elections, is against the law and the election code of conduct. A warning was also issued that action will be taken as per the Election (Offenses and Punishment) Act, 2073, if involved in such activities.

Ramsharan Ran Bohara, Deputy Spokesperson and Information Officer for the Information Council, requested all stakeholders not to disseminate or cause the dissemination of content contrary to the code of conduct for journalists and the election code of conduct.