Digital Rights Weekly/Year 2/Issue 15

Apr 14, 2023

Year 2079 from Digital Rights Perspective!!!
Looking back at Nepal’s digital landscape in 2079 B.S., it is clear that there have been both advancements and setbacks. On a positive note, we have seen significant progress in various areas. The introduction of e-Sifaris by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has made it easier for citizens to access various services online, while the amended Rules of the House of Representatives have allowed for virtual parliament meetings. The National Startup Enterprise Policy-2079 has also offered tax exemptions for startup businesses. Additionally, the government has prioritized cybersecurity and formed a taskforce to provide recommendations on policy, law, structure, and processes. Furthermore, the High Court Patan has issued an order to prevent internet disruption across the country.
However, there have also been setbacks that cannot be ignored. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology drafted a telecommunication bill that allows the government to record citizens’ conversations on telephones, mobiles, and social media without informing the court. There have also been security breaches, with the Prime Minister Office Twitter handle being hacked, and government servers frequently going down. Significant data leaks have been reported when numerous government websites were hacked, including the Nepal police server. The Election Commission of Nepal also published sensitive information about voters on its website, raising concerns about privacy violations. The commission prohibited social media campaign against political leaders, which was later revoked following criticism from civil society. Furthermore, the commission threatened to bring offenders to justice for posting inaccurate and biased information or making offensive remarks about candidates running in the elections. The Patan High Court decision expanded the Press Council Nepal’s scope to regulate online media, paving the way for it to regulate news portals alongside traditional media.
In conclusion, Nepal’s digital landscape has experienced both positive and negative developments. While progress has been made, it is important to address the challenges faced by the government, security breaches, and issues of privacy and transparency to create a more robust and trustworthy digital ecosystem.

Urgent Measures Needed to Enhance Cyber Security at GIDC
A high-level study committee recently submitted its report to Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma on the cyber security situation at the Government integrated Data Centre (GIDC) of the Government of Nepal. The report highlights that the cyber security measures at the data center are not up to par and need to be fast-tracked.
The committee’s report comes in the wake of a recent cyber attack involving a DNS attack that resulted in the blockage of services at the Immigration Office and several government agency websites for four hours on 28th January. The committee’s recommendations include formulating and implementing necessary plans to operate the National Data Center at Singha Durbar and the Disaster Recovery Center in Hetauda according to international standards. The report also emphasizes the need to operate the data center’s firewall system in full high-availability (HA) mode.
Furthermore, the committee points out policy and structural flaws in the government’s approach to cyber security and recommends the formulation of timely policies and legal provisions related to information technology to protect national cyber security and data. The report also stresses the importance of policy and structural arrangements for software system development, quality standards, technology research, IT audit, and cyber security development and capacity building.
In terms of physical security, the report suggests restructuring the management of the National Information Technology Center and making the National Information Technology Emergency Response Group (NITERT) more effective in protecting against natural disasters and physical attacks. Additionally, the report highlights the shortage of professional cyber experts at the National Information Technology Center and recommends 24-hour monitoring, inspection, and surveillance by high-level cyber experts under the government’s direct supervision.

Google Cracks Down on Rogue Lending Apps: Restrict Access to Personal Information
Google has announced measures to crack down lending apps by prohibiting them from accessing certain personal information such as contacts, photos, and geographic location in borrowers’ phones. The company plans to introduce new regulations on the behavior of personal financial service software in the Play Store by the end of May.
According to information provided by Google to Android software developers, the lending software will face restrictions on accessing the geographic location, phone number, and video content of users’ phones in the future. This marks the first time that the Google Store has imposed such limitations. The rectification efforts by Google target personal loan services, payday loans, and P2P network loan software, but do not apply to housing mortgage loans, car consumer loans, or credit card-related software. Google aims to address the data privacy concerns raised by online lending apps and take steps to protect users’ personal information.

Official Facebook Page of APF Got Hacked!!!
The official Facebook page of the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal has been reportedly hacked, On Tuesday, the account posted Vietnamese words, which when translated to Nepali meant “who returned last autumn.” An official from the Armed Police Force Computer Department has admitted that there was a problem with the account. Cybersecurity experts have expressed concerns and stated that if admin access is not lost, the post can be easily removed. This incident highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard official social media accounts against potential hacking attempts.

ISPAN Commits to Enhancing Internet Service Quality in Nepal to Global Standards
The Internet Service Providers Association Nepal (ISPAN) recently held an event where they pledged to improve the quality of internet services in the country to meet global standards. In a press release issued after the event, ISPAN stated that internet service providers will collaborate to make internet services more systematic, reliable, and dignified. As part of their commitment to enhancing the quality of internet services, ISPAN has made necessary preparations to align with world standards, including by formulating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and adopting procedural improvements.

Nepal’s Internet Bandwidth Purchase Reaches 1340 GB in first 8 month of FY 2079/80
According to the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA), internet and telephone service provider companies in Nepal have purchased a total of 1340 GB of internet bandwidth during the first eight months of the current fiscal year 2079/80, as of mid-March. Among them, WorldLink Communications Pvt. Ltd. has bought the largest amount of bandwidth, introducing 400 GB of bandwidth in Nepal, for which they have paid Rs 1.24 billion. This significant purchase of internet bandwidth by various companies highlights the increasing demand for internet services in Nepal and the growth of the telecommunications industry in the country.

NTA Tells Smart Cell to Continue Its Telecom Service
The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has issued a statement urging Smart Telecom Pvt. Ltd. to operate its telecommunication services efficiently and without interruption for customers, as long as its license remains in force. Smart Cell’s license is set to expire on 15 April due to its failure to pay off dues, and the company has already pulled its services from many parts of the country. It has been reported that Smart Telecom has a total liability of Rs 30 billion to clear in order to maintain its unified license.
The NTA has taken notice of the network outage issue faced by Smart Telecom in some parts of the country and has instructed the telco to resume its services. Users from various areas have complained that the Smart Cell network has been out for months without any official notice.

Nepal Telecom to Test 5G in Pokhara and Birgunj
Nepal Telecom is gearing up to conduct internal testing of the next generation 5G mobile service in Pokhara and Birgunj, in addition to the ongoing testing in Kathmandu. The internal testing of 5G had initially commenced in Kathmandu in February this year. The scheduled testing is part of the NT’s plan to test 5G in major cities of all provinces.

MOEST launched the “Educational Information’ Mobile App
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) has launched the ‘Educational Information’ mobile app, aimed at providing easy access to educational statistics and information. Developed with the objective of making educational data accessible to everyone, this app allows users to view educational statistics and information related to education. According to Shankar Adhikari, Information Officer at the Ministry, the app provides a user-friendly interface to access educational data.
In addition to the mobile app, the Ministry has also implemented a monitoring software system. This system enables online collection of progress reports on the annual budget and programs related to education. With these initiatives, the Ministry aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in accessing educational information and monitoring the progress of education-related programs.

Opportunity

Call for Application: Digital Security Workshop, 2023
Body & Data is inviting applications for a three-day workshop titled “Feminist Tech Exchange 2023” focused on digital security. The workshop is specifically designed for women, queer activists, and human rights defenders based in Nepal, and aims to foster discussions on the intersection of gender, sexuality, and technology, and provide hands-on skills training on digital hygiene and security.
To Apply : Body and Data

Job Opportunity: Provincial Coordinator
Body and Data is seeking a Provincial Coordinator for Gandaki province. Individuals having passion for digital rights issues in Nepal and beyond, and a Bachelor’s degree in any social science field may apply for the position following the link. If you are passionate about digital rights and Please submit your application, for more info: Body and Data

Digital Rights Weekly is a week-based update on Digital Rights and ICT issues, that happened throughout the week, compiled and analyzed from the digital rights perspective by Digital Rights Nepal (DRN). DRN is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to the protection and promotion of digital rights, including the right to online freedom of expression and association, online privacy, access to information, and related issues such as internet governance, cyber laws/policies, and cyber securities in Nepal.