Event Summary
The government of Nepal has moved to withdraw the controversial Social Media Bill from the National Assembly. The decision, taken on 6 February 2026, by the government, reverses a proposal introduced by the previous government in February 2025. The bill was under review by the Legislation Management Committee and will be formally withdrawn once endorsed by the National Assembly.
The move to withdraw the Social Media Bill comes amid sustained public criticism from civil society organisations, media groups and digital rights advocates who argued that several provisions of the proposed law were overly broad and could undermine freedom of expression. The bill had already sparked protests and public demonstrations in 2025, with civil society groups warning that its provisions posed serious risks to constitutional freedoms. The bill’s strict and controversial provisions required social media platforms to obtain government approval to operate and had proposed to impose fines of up to Rs10 million for non-compliance. Users could face severe penalties, including up to five years in prison and fines for spreading false or misleading information, especially under fake identities. The bill also criminalized content deemed harmful to Nepal’s sovereignty, national unity, and security, along with online harassment, hacking, creation of fake accounts or groups, and the use of AI-generated deepfake videos. The heavy fines and imprisonment clauses were widely criticized as excessive and potentially restrictive to freedom of expression. Nepal’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression as a fundamental right. The critics contended that the bill’s vague definitions, particularly around content deemed harmful to sovereignty, national unity, and security could be misused to silence dissent or critical voices online.