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**Celebrating the 200th Edition of Digital Rights Weekly**
Dear Readers, Collaborators, and Partners,We are delighted to mark the release of the 200th edition of Digital Rights Weekly. Since our first issue on June 3, 2022, this platform has consistently focused on raising awareness and engaging with pressing issues related to digital rights, laws, policies, and governance in Nepal. Through each edition, we have aimed to inform, advocate, and promote accessible knowledge, helping individuals and community better understand and shape the evolving digital landscape. The newsletter has also served as a space to highlight opportunities, share key resources, and update you on our ongoing work and engagements.
This milestone would not have been possible without your continued support and engagement. We sincerely thank our readers for staying connected with us, and extend special appreciation to our collaborators and partners whose contributions have strengthened the quality and impact of our work.
As we move forward, we remain dedicated to providing meaningful insights and nurturing a community committed to advancing and protecting digital rights for everyone.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Warm regards,
Santosh Sigdel
Executive Director
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Nepal’s Gen-Z Protests: Inquiry Report Highlights Role of Discord and Calls for Digital Governance Reform
A high-level inquiry commission formed to investigate the Gen-Z protests 8-9 September 2025 has identified digital platforms, particularly Discord, as central to the organization and escalation of the demonstrations, while recommending sweeping reforms to strengthen Nepal’s digital governance framework.
The protests, which turned violent in parts of Nepal, including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur, were initially triggered by the government’s abrupt decision to ban 26 unregistered social media and messaging platforms. Nevertheless, the commission found that the unrest was rooted in deeper public frustration among youth over corruption and governance failures.
According to the report led by former justice Gauri Bahadur Karki , Discord emerged as the most influential platform during the protests. Youth-led groups, including networks such as “Youth Against Corruption,” reportedly used the platform to coordinate activities in real time, creating dedicated channels to plan protest routes, share live updates, and mobilize participants. At the same time, the platform facilitated the rapid spread of misinformation. The report cites instances of false or exaggerated claims, including unverified reports of violence and inflated casualty figures, which intensified public anger and contributed to unrest.
The report highlights Nepal’s rapid digital expansion, enhanced access to information, civic engagement, and economic opportunities, as well as the amplified risks. The commission warns that public opinion is increasingly shaped by emotionally driven content, coordinated campaigns, and constructed narratives rather than verified facts, enabling manipulation by both domestic and foreign actors. Report mentions how misleading information circulating online can rapidly escalate tensions, damage public and private property, and destabilize social order. The report concludes that the flow of uncontrolled digital content can exert pressure on state institutions, weaken social stability, and transform localized dissatisfaction into nationwide crises.
The commission has recommended a comprehensive shift toward a rights-based, secure, and resilient digital ecosystem in Nepal by introducing a modern regulatory framework aligned with global standards (including GDPR-like data protection), strengthening institutional capacity, particularly the Cyber Bureau through a dedicated social media intelligence unit and enhanced digital forensic infrastructure, and building integrated digital governance systems such as a “super app” for public services, mandatory property declarations, and state-managed mechanisms for handling cryptocurrencies during investigation. It calls for stronger accountability of social media platforms through transparent moderation and cooperation with lawful investigations, alongside nationwide digital literacy programs and the establishment of coordinated, multi-agency response systems including a national CERT. Additional measures include early warning systems for disinformation, safeguards against foreign interference in digital space, and the use of MLATs for cross-border enforcement. Overall, the commission stresses balancing innovation and democratic participation with proactive governance, noting that reactive measures like platform bans are ineffective, and advocating instead for strategic, rights-respecting digital policy.
The report underscores the urgent need for a robust and inclusive public discourse on advancing balanced, rights-based digital policies, shifting away from reactive restrictions toward a more proactive, strategic, and forward-looking approach to technology governance in an increasingly connected society.
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New Government in Nepal Formed Under Balendra Shah
Prime Minister Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has sworn in a 15-member cabinet on 27 March 2026, with Dr. Bikram Timilsina as Communication and Information Technology Minister and Dr. Swarnim Wagle as Finance Minister. The cabinet’s first meeting approved four key decisions: paying tribute to martyrs, appointing the Education Minister as spokesperson, launching 100 administrative reforms, and implementing the Gen Z Movement Commission report. Finance Minister Wagle also pledged to act on economic reform recommendations, including abolishing the Revenue Investigation Department and amending 15 Acts. DRN will examine the 100 administrative reform actions through a digital governance lens in our next newsletter. Digital Negligence Puts Nepalis Abroad at Legal Risk
Nepali migrant workers are increasingly facing arrests in foreign countries for posting, sharing, or even privately sending social media content deemed sensitive by local authorities. Driven by low digital literacy, the urge to go viral, and limited awareness of host country laws, many risk fines, imprisonment, or deportation. Recent cases from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait highlight how even sharing images or videos of conflicts or security-related events can lead to serious legal consequences. Experts warn that advanced monitoring systems can track both public posts and private messages. The trend exposes major gaps in Nepal’s pre-departure orientation, which often fails to address digital rights, privacy, and online risks, leaving workers unprepared for strict digital laws abroad.
EU Flags Major Porn Platforms for Failing to Protect Minors
The European Commission has found that Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos failed to prevent minors from accessing adult content, violating the Digital Services Act. The Commission said relying on simple age self-declaration is ineffective, as users can access content by merely clicking they are over 18. The platforms also failed to properly assess risks to children, focusing more on business concerns than societal harm. If confirmed, the companies could face fines of up to 6% of their global revenue. The EU is also testing a privacy-friendly age verification system across several countries as a potential solution.
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Mis/disinformation
Post-Election Misinformation in Nepal Highlights Growing AI Misuse
Nepal’s social media environment continues to see a notable increase in politically driven misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. Emerging cases point to a troubling pattern of AI-generated content being used to mislead the public.
One widely circulated image, allegedly depicting a survey team in Darchula associated with Hark Sampang and the Sharma Sanskriti Party engaging in inappropriate behavior, was later verified as artificially generated. In another instance, viral images claiming the introduction of new 250 and 2000 rupee banknotes were proven false, with fact-checking confirming the use of AI-generated visuals. Viral posts claimed that CG Group-owned Chandbagh School was being relocated from Basbari to Jorpati due to Mayor Balendra Shah (Balen) allegedly becoming Prime Minister. However, fact checker confirmed this is misleading, as the school had already been relocated nearly a year ago, on Chaitra 5, 2081.
The spread of such deceptive content not only distorts public discourse but also heightens polarization, weakens democratic processes, and diminishes trust in credible information sources. These trends reinforce the need for improved digital literacy, stronger accountability from platforms, and more effective regulatory measures to ensure the integrity of Nepal’s information ecosystem.
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Scam Alert
Phishing Scam Targets Nepali Social Media Users
A dangerous scam is spreading on social media, claiming that Nepal Telecom and Wai Wai are giving ₹5,000 for their anniversary. The offer is fake and uses websites that look real to trick people. Users are asked to answer simple questions, open a “gift box,” and share the link with others. In the background, the scam steals personal information like passwords, bank details, and OTPs, and may even install harmful software on the device. It can also spread automatically through platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook. If someone clicks on such links, they should quickly change their passwords, contact their bank, clear their browser data, and check their accounts. To stay safe, people should only trust official websites, never share passwords or OTPs, avoid suspicious links, and use two-factor authentication. This scam shows how one careless click can put personal and financial security at risk. |
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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.
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