KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 27
Laxman Datt Pant, a global media rights advocate and Founding Chair of Media Action Nepal, has called for the immediate repeal of the proposed Social Media Bill, citing that the majority of its clauses undermine freedom of expression and threaten critical and independent voices. He urged lawmakers to align the bill with constitutional provisions and emphasised that democracy has no space for silencing dissenting voices.
Pant further stressed that media regulatory bodies, such as the Press Council Nepal and the Advertisement Board, must not be misused as government tools to control free speech.
Seconding Laxman Datt Pant's argument, Tikaram Pokharel, spokesperson for the National Human Rights Commission, stated that this bill aims to provide more security to Singha Durbar (the executive secretariat) than society and individuals.
"This bill benefits the government more than individuals and fails to address people's concerns," he said.
According to Prabesh Subedi, understanding and regulating social media is a complex global problem. "We need to clarify this clearly so that everyone understands," he said.
"Because if this law is implemented in its current form, it will limit freedom of expression."
Freedom Forum Executive Chief Taranath Dahal said that the government should address other media first and then work on regulating social media through the Social Media Network Bill 2024.
Lawmakers present at the discussion held in Kathmandu on Friday also stressed that the bill on Social Media Network 2024 must be studied from a micro level and rewritten.
Lawmaker Nagina Yadav said, "It should be studied from a micro level and rewritten from a citizen and victim perspective."
