Government issuing directives to regulate Social Media

Kathmandu / Feb 12: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Parbat Gurung, has said that the government will bring a directive regulating the social sites without harming the freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

Addressing an interaction with journalists from Dolakha district here today, he said, “The directive is being introduced as various types of criminal activities are found increasing almost daily due to the social sites.”

He made it clear that, however, the directive would not have any adverse impact on the freedom of expression.

“Only preparations have been made to bring the directive for systematizing the social sites. It would be finalized only after discussing with the stakeholders. The objective is that there should be provision for operating the social sites only after registering them in Nepal as per the existing laws,” the Minister for Communications and Information Technology elaborated.

On the occasion, he also expressed the commitment to work towards raising the prestige of journalism.

“The directive is not being made to impose restrictions on the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression,” he said, adding that only discussions were being held on the directive for regulating with the objective the untoward incidents like violence, crime would be minimized if provisions were made for compulsory registration of social sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Viber, Imo, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, We Chat and Tik Tok,” he said.

The Minister shared that the Cabinet meeting held on Thursday decided to launch the programme of making the Smart City on the basis of information technology to develop the country as smart IT country. The programme is being announced first from Dolkha district.

The advertisement board member Baburam Thapa argued that the proportional advertisement system was brought from the perspective of the welfare nation.

The FNJ vice president Dilip Thapa Magar said that the process of renewing the Press Pass issued by the Department of Information and Broadcasting from the district was a good initiation. He added that the media sector is achieving progress under the leadership of new Minister.

Press Union general secretary Ajay Babu Siwakoti urged the government to bring effective policy and programme to support media as a large number of media persons have lost their job due to COVID-19.