Social Network Bill, 2081 tabled at NA

Kathmandu, August 19: The National Assembly (NA) unanimously endorsed the proposal seeking consideration of the ‘Social Network Bill, 2081′.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, had tabled the Bill. In response to the queries raised by lawmakers during the deliberations, Minister Gurung stated that there were no vague words or sentences in the Bill, and if there were, they could be corrected. Cybercrime was surging across the globe, so the time has come to curb it, he said, adding that the Media Council Bill was also introduced by the government to regulate online media.

Such bills could help maintain religious tolerance, according to him. The Minister, however, said the Bill was dealing with new issues, so adequate discussion was necessary to conclude. On the occasion, the NA members stressed regulation rather than control of social networks. Anjan Shakya spoke on the international practices of social networks and hoped the Bill would help curb social networks’ ills. She also argued for regulation, not control of the social network.

Ghanashyam Rijal, however, argued that some provisions in the Bill were control-oriented, which were capable of tampering with citizens’ freedom of expression and opinion. According to Suresh Alemagar, although regulation is a need of the hour, control is unwarranted. Kiran Babu Shrestha was of the view that freedom of expression must not be breached by the Bill.

A similar view came from Beduram Bhusal. Taraman Swar stressed the need to correct the provisions that violate other laws. Some provisions that breach free speech need correction, according to Gopal Bhattarai. Narayan Dutt Mishra argued that if social media accounts are run by those with an authentic identity, it could help minimize fake accounts. Given Ganga Kumari Belbase, education and literacy count more than control.

Thorough debate is imperative because there is no provision for mediation in the Bill, according to Madan Kumari Sah (Garima). Tulash Kumari Dahal said that as the Bill was introduced in the parliament, it could be forwarded with corrections. Other members advocating for the Bill respecting human rights were Yubraj Sharma, Krishna Prasad Adhikari, Sumitra BC, and Bishnu Bahadur Bishwokarma.

The Chairman of the National Assembly informed members that anyone willing amendment to the Bill could register proposals in the bill section. The NA will meet next on Friday.