Nationwide Nepal Telecom Outage Exposes Outdated Billing System Nepal Telecom’s (state owned Telecom ) nationwide data outage on 2 December exposed severe weaknesses in its outdated billing and network systems. When abnormal traffic overwhelmed the OCS (Online Charging System), Telecom was unable to identify the cause and restored service only by bypassing the billing system, resulting in free data usage from 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM. This led to an estimated NPR 5 million loss and 200 TB of data consumed at no cost. The data service initially went down at 5:15 PM, and the issue remained unresolved until late evening. Customers without data packages were able to use mobile data without any balance deduction, while those with packages saw normal usage cuts. The outage is part of a continuing pattern: Nepal Telecom has suffered five major network outages in 2025 alone, on February 4, July 28, September 25 (twice in one day), and the latest on December 2, 2025. Sources attribute these repeated failures to the company’s outdated billing system and PS Core network, with similar problems causing 17 outages in 2024 as well. Telecom has been using a billing system from Asia Info since 2011. Attempts to replace it have stalled despite a tender initiated in March 2025. Although Huawei was declared technically qualified, the opening of financial proposals was repeatedly postponed due to political shifts and concerns over irregularities. A committee formed to review the tender found issues that have kept the upgrade process on hold, leaving Telecom vulnerable to further disruptions. | | | UNDP Warns AI Could Deepen Global Inequality Without Urgent Action A new UNDP report cautions that while excitement around artificial intelligence (AI) is high , the technology risks widening the gap between rich and poor nations if not managed responsibly. The report compares the current moment to the Industrial Revolution’s “Great Divergence,” warning that wealthy countries may capture most AI benefits unless deliberate action is taken. Lead author Michael Muthukrishna stressed that people, not technology, must remain the priority. Communities lacking electricity, internet access, skills, or basic services, as well as those displaced by conflict and climate disasters, face the greatest risk of being left behind or becoming “invisible in data.” While AI can greatly improve agriculture, health care, weather forecasting, disaster response, and public decision-making, it also brings serious concerns, energy-heavy data centers, privacy violations, cyberattacks, deepfakes, and environmental pressure. Countries like China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore are well-prepared to benefit, but nations such as Afghanistan, the Maldives, and Myanmar lag due to weak infrastructure and skills shortages. Nearly one-quarter of Asia-Pacific still lacks internet access, deepening inequality. UNDP’s Philip Schellekens warns that without closing digital gaps, millions may remain excluded from digital tools, payments, and education, locking them out of the global economy. The report calls for strong regulation, investment in digital infrastructure, skills development, fair competition, and social protections to ensure AI benefits are shared widely and vulnerable communities are not left further behind. India Withdraws Mandatory Installation of Sanchar Saathi App Amid Privacy Concerns
India has reversed its order requiring smartphone manufacturers to preload the government’s cyber safety app, Sanchar Saathi, on all new devices after widespread public backlash and privacy concerns. The original directive, issued on November 28, required the app to be preinstalled, visible, enabled at first setup, and impossible to remove. Companies were also told to push the app onto already manufactured devices via software updates.
However, the mandate drew heavy criticism from privacy advocates, opposition parties, and civil society groups, who argued it enabled potential government overreach. Tech companies, particularly Apple, reportedly raised security and privacy objections. With over 95% of Indian smartphones running Android, the move would have impacted nearly the entire market. Facing mounting pressure, the government withdrew the order on Wednesday. Former Minister Gurung Repeats Call to Shut Down Unregistered Social Media Platforms
Former Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung has once again stated that social media platforms refusing to register in Nepal should be shut down. Speaking to journalists on 1 December 2025, Gurung warned that platforms not complying with Nepal’s constitution and laws could face closure in the future. Gurung argued that while even small local businesses must be registered, major social media companies earning billions should also be required to register in Nepal. He added that although he previously lifted restrictions due to circumstances, unregistered platforms “will have to be shut down again” if they do not follow the rules. Australia Enforces World’s Strictest Under-16 Social Media Ban
Australia has begun enforcing its landmark ban on social media use for children under 16, with Meta and YouTube starting to lock out underage users ahead of the law’s full implementation on December 10. Meta will block new accounts and remove existing ones, affecting an estimated 500,000 Instagram and Facebook users aged 13–15. YouTube will sign out users under 16, though they can still watch videos without logging in.
Platforms have expressed frustration, calling the legislation rushed and ineffective, while the government insists companies must stop underage access or face fines of up to $49.5 million. The eSafety Commission has cautioned that enforcement will take time, with resources provided to help families download their data before accounts disappear. Australia’s move marks the world’s most sweeping attempt to age-gate social media, with global attention on whether the experiment will succeed, or create new risks. | | | Publication Paris Charter on AI and Journalism (2023)
The Paris Charter (2023) addresses AI’s impact on journalism, stressing the need to protect human rights, democracy, and the right to reliable information. It advocates for AI to be guided by journalistic ethics, including truth, fairness, and accountability, with human oversight central to its use. AI tools must be ethically evaluated, and media outlets remain responsible for all content.
The Charter highlights transparency, content traceability, and distinctions between human and AI-generated material to build trust. It calls for AI to support diverse, democratic dialogue and for active involvement in AI governance. Lastly, AI systems must respect intellectual property, credit sources, and promote sustainable, trustworthy media. | | | | DRN Activities DRN Supported Panel on Early Digital Literacy to Protect Young Minds
Digital literacy should start early, with guidance from families, schools, and youth networks playing a crucial role. On 1 December 2025, Digital Rights Nepal (DRN) supported the panel discussion “Beyond the Screen: Protecting Young Minds in the Digital World”, organized with the Leo Club of Bhaktapur Bhairav. DRN’s Program Officer, Sanjina Kshetri, joined other panelists at Nawaratna Life School, Bhaktapur, to discuss online safety, digital well-being, responsible digital habits, and the importance of community awareness. | | | 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. | | | | |
