सिंहदरबार संवाददाता
Kathmandu. Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram will be banned if they are not registered. Speaking on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of Nepal Telecom, Minister Gurung said this.
He said, “The bill on social media has been brought to take action against social media platforms that give statements that destroy social harmony and religious tolerance.”
He said that social media platforms are becoming chaotic and the bill on social media platforms has been brought due to the demand of common citizens to regulate them. He said that writing and doing anything arbitrary is not democracy and that a bill to operate and regulate social media has been submitted to the parliament for its regulation.
He said that although some have started protests, it is natural to have protests in democracy. Minister Gurung informed that since destroying social harmony, spreading hatred, and destroying religious tolerance are treason, there is a provision for punishment for those who do so on social media. He said that if someone says that being able to say anything arbitrary about the country is democracy, that is unacceptable. He informed that the government is aware that the people’s right to be informed should not be taken away.
He said that the government is serious about ensuring the people’s freedom of expression and freedom of speech. He said that democracy can be strengthened only by ending and regulating anarchy. The bill was introduced with the understanding that the journey of prosperity of Nepalis will be facilitated only by strengthening the democratic system.
Communications Minister Gurung said that cybercrime incidents are increasing in the country and a draft of the Cybercrime Control Act is being prepared to control it. He said that the draft of the IT, Information Technology and Cybersecurity Bill has been prepared and promised to present it in the current session. He warned that if any social media is not registered with the government, it will be banned.
He said that currently only TikTok is registered and operating in Nepal and a public call has been made for registration of other social media including Meta (Facebook), Instagram, WhatsApp. He informed that they should cooperate in running their platforms in Nepal. He said that TikTok is helping to promote Nepal’s tourism.
Minister Gurung said that the government will create a comfortable environment for those who come to register with the government. He said that the social media sector should be run according to the rules and laws of the country as it is not a field of chaos and disorder.
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