Nepal’s interim government has decided to retract the Social Media Bill that was previously introduced in Parliament by the former K P Sharma Oli-led administration. This decision follows widespread criticism of the bill for its perceived infringement on freedom of expression. The move comes in the wake of protests led by Gen Z against the social media ban imposed by the Oli government last year, which later expanded into larger anti-corruption demonstrations, leading to the downfall of the Oli-led regime.
Government spokesperson and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal announced that the Cabinet has resolved to withdraw the contentious Social Media Bill from parliamentary proceedings. The bill was designed to oversee social media platforms, citing inadequacies in the existing regulatory framework outlined in the Directives for Managing the Use of Social Networks, 2023. The Oli-led government had previously banned several social media platforms, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), Alphabet (YouTube), X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and LinkedIn, in early September for non-compliance with Nepali regulatory requirements.
Despite facing backlash and subsequent protests, the bill introduced by the Oli administration remained pending in the upper house of Parliament, with concerns raised by various stakeholders regarding its potential impact on freedom of expression. Criticism of the bill’s provisions came from the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, the primary organization representing Nepali journalists, and digital rights groups. Notably, one of the contentious clauses in the bill focused on penalties for social media misuse, outlining various offenses that could lead to significant fines and imprisonment for users.
The bill also mandated that social media platforms must secure a government license to operate, with unlicensed platforms facing penalties. Additionally, severe consequences were proposed for cyberbullying, skimming, phishing, imposter scams, sextortion, and extortion activities conducted through social media channels.
