Press Council Refers 25 Serious Social Media Posts to Cyber Bureau for Investigation

Dragon Media News Desk

Press Council Nepal has asked the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau to investigate and take necessary action over 25 serious social media posts deemed harmful to religious and communal harmony.

The Council said in a press statement issued on Friday that the action followed its monitoring of content disseminated by media outlets and social media platforms after tensions escalated in parts of the country following the incident in Kaptanganj, Sunsari.

According to the Council, it conducted proactive monitoring of 207 items related to the incident and identified 90 that appeared to violate the Journalists’ Code of Conduct.

Among them, 59 items published by 34 media outlets and two posts from two unregistered social media platforms were ordered to be removed immediately through telephone instructions.

Following the directive, 31 media outlets and both unregistered social media platforms removed the content and informed the Council. Four media outlets that failed to comply were issued renewed instructions.

The Council also identified 25 serious posts disseminated by 18 of 20 social media accounts not affiliated with registered media organisations. It referred those posts to the Cyber Bureau for investigation and possible legal action.

During its monitoring, the Council found that some social media operators had refused requests to remove content capable of harming religious and communal harmony or spreading violence and hatred, citing possible losses in monetisation revenue.

The Council said prioritising financial gain over human sensitivity was contrary to social responsibility and the fundamental principles of journalism. It added that coordination had been initiated with the Cyber Bureau and other relevant agencies to investigate the content and the accounts involved.

The Council urged media organisations, journalists and social media users to prioritise factual accuracy, balance, human sensitivity, religious and communal harmony, and the broader public interest when publishing news, photographs, videos or other content.

It warned that incomplete, misleading or provocative material could spread violence, fear, hatred and confusion in society. It therefore called on content publishers and users to verify information before publishing or sharing it, assess its possible impact and refrain from disseminating material that could damage religious, ethnic or communal harmony.

The statement, issued by Press Council Nepal Assistant Spokesperson and Information Officer Ram Sharan Bohara, appealed to all sides to exercise restraint, responsibility and human sensitivity and to support the media in maintaining social harmony during the current sensitive situation.