KATHMANDU, Nov 14: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) has launched a coordinated dialogue with key government agencies to address the growing challenge of misleading and false information circulating across digital platforms.
Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal on Friday convened a joint meeting with officials from relevant ministries, telecommunications authorities, the Press Council Nepal and the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police to assess regulatory measures that can be implemented without compromising the right to information or press freedom.
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The multi-stakeholder meeting held at the Ministry under the chairmanship of Minister Aryal focused on identifying effective ways for concerned agencies to prevent the unauthorized use, manipulation and harmful dissemination of information. Minister Aryal stressed that any regulatory intervention must safeguard constitutional freedoms while ensuring that state institutions are equipped to curb the misuse of digital spaces.
Those present at the meeting included Home Secretary Rameshwar Dangal; Secretary of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Radhika Aryal; Chairman of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, Bhupendra Bhandari; Joint Secretary at the Home Ministry, Anand Kafle; Chief Administrative Officer of Press Council Nepal, Jhavindra Bhusal; Deputy Inspector General of Police Navinda Aryal from the Cyber Bureau; representatives from Nepal Telecom, and other senior officials.
According to Home Ministry Spokesperson and Joint Secretary Anand Kafle, the meeting reached a consensus to prepare and implement a detailed action plan aimed at regulating misleading and deceptive content. Participants highlighted the rapid spread of false, confusing, and harmful information through social media and other digital channels, warning that such content could adversely impact individual reputation, institutional credibility, social harmony, and even national security.
In addition to regulatory mechanisms, the discussion underscored the need for a nationwide digital literacy campaign to enhance public awareness and empower citizens to identify and avoid misleading content. The meeting emphasized that while government bodies will play a central role, building a responsible and informed citizenry is equally crucial to preventing the proliferation of misinformation.
