IT bill to regulate social networking sites: Minister Baskota

The Information Technology Bill 2075 has been presented before the meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota presented the bill.
Under the proposed law, the government would have the power to block social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube unless they register in Nepal.
Presenting the bill, Minister Baskota, however, said, “IT bill is brought to make the social networking sites systematic and timely. In the wake of digital Nepal campaign, the bill was made to heed the cyber crimes issues.”
“It is rumoured that users needs to get registered to use the social sites as Facebook which is not real. It’s false rumour. We just want to make the social sites systematic and well managed. We’re not for individually registering the users for the Facebook use,” he clarified.
He however said the social sites as Facebook needs to be registered in Nepal to operate its business. If such sites are misused, it would invite negative impacts, he sadi, adding that even other countries as the US, UK, India, Germany, Egypt and Canada have also debated on the social media. “The government is serious on cyber safety and security.” 
The journalist community – in and out of the country – has however blamed the government for trying to curtail the freedom of speech, which is against the Constitution. Last week, a popular folk singer Pashupati Sharma was forced to take down a satirical anti-corruption song from YouTube after pressure from ruling party cadres.